UNUnited Nations Economic Commission for Europe

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Bulgaria joins the ADN Agreement

Geneva, 13 March 2006 -- Bulgaria ratified the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (ADN) on 7 March 2006.

This brings the total number of Contracting States to 5, namely: Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Netherlands and the Russian Federation. The ADN Agreement will enter into force once 2 more States have deposited their instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.

The ADN aims at increasing the safety of the international carriage of dangerous goods by inland waterways and at preventing any pollution resulting from accidents or incidents during the carriage, while facilitating international transport and trade of such goods.

About the ADN Agreement

Adopted on 25 May 2000 in Geneva at a Diplomatic Conference organized jointly by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Central Commission for the Navigation on the Rhine (CCNR), the ADN consists of a main legal text and an Annex. The Annex contains the technical requirements for the international carriage of dangerous substances and articles in packages and in bulk on board inland navigation vessels and tank vessels, as well as uniform provisions concerning the construction and operation of such vessels. They also establish international requirements and procedures for inspections, issue of certificates of approval, recognition of classification societies, monitoring, and training and examination of experts.

Pending the entry into force of the ADN, the annexed regulations are updated on a regular basis at a Joint UNECE/CCNR Meeting of Experts for recommended application through national legislation.

The Joint Meeting of Experts has also set up provisional committees of experts for preliminary consideration of requests from classification societies wishing to be recommended for recognition.

Classification societies play an important role, since they may perform, under the supervision of the competent authority, the various inspections prescribed by ADN before the issuance or renewal of the certificate of approval which certifies compliance of the vessel with the construction and equipment requirements of ADN and allow the vessel to carry dangerous goods when navigating on inland waterways of Contracting Parties.

Companies like Bureau Veritas, Lloyds Register of Shipping, Germanischer Lloyd and the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping have applied to be recognized as classification societies and their application is under consideration. The Russian River Register has already been provisionally recommended for recognition, subject to final confirmation once the ADN enters into force.

For more information, see http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.htm or contact:

Olivier Kervella
Transport Division
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Palais des Nations
CH - 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland

Fax: +41 (0) 22 917 0039
E-mail: [email protected]

Ref: ECE/TRANS/06/P02