Denmark ratifies the 2000 Athens Convention relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea.

The Convention introduces improved passenger protection. The Convention requires, inter alia, that passenger ships must take out liability insurance and that the liability limit of shipping companies is increased. This means that passengers will have a better possibility of being compensated if they are injured in connection with a ship accident.

The ratification of the Convention is important as Denmark thereby helps ensure that the Convention enters into force internationally. It will enter into force one year after having been ratified by ten States. With the Danish ratification, only two of the ten countries required to put the Convention into effect are still needed.

Legal basis

The Danish legal basis is already there. On 13 March 2012, the Danish Parliament (Folketinget) adopted the amendments to the merchant shipping act that are necessary to implement the Convention.

The Danish regulations are based on Regulation no. 392/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the liability of carriers of passengers by sea in the event of accidents (the Athens Regulation), which implements and supplements the Athens Convention. The regulations will enter into force on 31 December 2012.