It was only on November 18, 2019 that the treaty was ratified by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on behalf of the United States. [2] On that day, the instrument of ratification was deposited with the United Kingdom and the Agreement entered into force. [11] The treaty had to be ratified by only two of the four negotiating parties in order for it to enter into force. [12] The treaty requires both the United Kingdom and the United States to regulate persons and ships under their respective jurisdictions in their interactions with the wreck. [13] In particular, both countries may grant or refuse licences to allow entry into or removal of objects from the wreck. The United Kingdom has announced its intention to push other North Atlantic countries to join the agreement, including Canada and France. [2] Published title: Accord concerning the Shipwrecked Vessel RMS Titanic. The agreement on the wrecked ship RMS Titanic is a treaty open to all states to protect the wreck of the RMS Titanic. Following the passage of the RMS Titanic Maritime Memorial Act in 1986, the United States began negotiations with the United Kingdom, France and Canada in 1997 for an agreement on the protection of the wreck.
The agreement was signed by Britain in 2003 and by the United States in 2004. It was only in 2019 that the United States ratified the agreement and entered into force on November 18, the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification. In 1912, the British ocean-going ship RMS Titanic sank after colliding with a North Atlantic iceberg on its way from Southampton to New York. [1] The location of its wreck was unknown until it was discovered in 1985 by Robert Ballard, 350 nautical miles (400 miles; 650 km) off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. [2] Ballard did not claim responsibility for the rescue, which allowed the wreckage to be exposed to looting and unregulated rescue operations. In response, the United States passed the RMS Titanic Maritime Memorial Act[3] in 1986, which recognized the wreck as an international maritime monument[4] and authorized the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Foreign Affairs to negotiate an international agreement for the protection of the wreck. [3] On November 18, 2019, the United States filed with the United Kingdom its acceptance of the agreement on the wrecked ship RMS Titanic, thus bringing into force this important agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom. Negotiations between the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Canada began in 1997 and concluded with an agreement on 5 January 2000. [5] [6] The United Kingdom signed the resulting agreement on 6 November 2003[7] by means of a „definitive signature without reservation as to ratification“[8] and adopted the Wreck Protection Order (RMS Titanic) in 2003, in accordance with the Merchant Shipping Act, to implement it. [9] The United States signed the agreement on 18 June 2004 [7].
The agreement on the wrecked ship R.M.S. Titanic (International Convention) follows Congress` recommendation in the R.M.S. Titanic Maritime Memorial Act of 1986 to address looting, unwanted rescues and other activities against R.M.S. Titanic and to strengthen the protection of the wreck. In situ conservation of the site is preferred, especially for the two large parts of the fuselage with controlled recovery or recovery, limited to artifacts in the debris field of the wreck. Negotiations on the agreement between Canada, France, the United Kingdom and the United States were concluded on January 5, 2000. . . .