International Convention on maritime search and rescue, 1979

Party

Solomon Islands added

• Ratification: 27-11-2025 (A)
• Entry into force: 27-12-2025
• Reservations / Declarations: No
• Objections: No

Party

Iraq added

• Ratification: 06-03-2024 (A)
• Entry into force: 05-04-2024
• Reservations / Declarations: No
• Objections: No

General information

• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Kingdom part

Netherlands (in Europe)

• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Party

Albania

• Ratification: 19-06-2003 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-07-2003

Algeria

• Ratification: 05-01-1983 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Angola

• Ratification: 04-10-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-11-2001

Antigua and Barbuda

• Ratification: 20-08-2010 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-09-2010

Argentina

• Ratification: 18-05-1981 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Bahrain

• Ratification: 02-03-2016 (A)
• Entry into force: 01-04-2016

Bangladesh

• Ratification: 08-08-2011 (A)
• Entry into force: 07-09-2011

Barbados

• Ratification: 25-07-1983 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Belgium

• Ratification: 28-02-1985 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Belize

Benin

• Ratification: 08-02-2017 (A)
• Entry into force: 10-03-2017

Brazil

• Ratification: 22-09-1982 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Bulgaria

• Ratification: 08-07-1999 (A)
• Entry into force: 07-08-1999

Cabo Verde

• Ratification: 04-07-2003 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-08-2003

Cameroon

• Ratification: 09-01-1987 (A)
• Entry into force: 08-02-1987

Canada

• Ratification: 18-06-1982 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Cook Islands

• Ratification: 14-07-2008 (A)
• Entry into force: 13-08-2008

Côte d'Ivoire

• Ratification: 05-10-1987 (A)
• Entry into force: 04-11-1987

Croatia

• Ratification: 12-01-1998 (A)
• Entry into force: 11-02-1998

Cuba

• Ratification: 16-07-1998 (A)
• Entry into force: 15-08-1998

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Ratification: 07-08-2002 (A)
• Entry into force: 06-09-2002

Denmark

• Signature: 10-10-1980
• Ratification: 21-06-1984 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985
• Faroes
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Greenland
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Djibouti

• Ratification: 12-10-2015 (A)
• Entry into force: 11-11-2015

Dominica

• Ratification: 31-08-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 30-09-2001

Ecuador

• Ratification: 17-05-1988 (A)
• Entry into force: 16-06-1988

Estonia

• Ratification: 30-04-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 30-05-2001

Finland

• Ratification: 06-11-1986 (A)
• Entry into force: 06-12-1986

France

• Ratification: 09-04-1980 (S)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Gabon

• Ratification: 09-05-2017 (A)
• Entry into force: 08-06-2017

Gambia, The

• Ratification: 01-11-1991 (A)
• Entry into force: 01-12-1991

Georgia

• Ratification: 25-08-1995 (A)
• Entry into force: 24-09-1995

Germany

• Signature: 06-11-1979
• Ratification: 21-01-1982 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Ghana

• Ratification: 13-01-2011 (A)
• Entry into force: 12-02-2011

Guatemala

• Ratification: 14-07-2022 (A)
• Entry into force: 13-08-2022

Guinea-Bissau

• Ratification: 24-10-2016 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-11-2016

Honduras

• Ratification: 23-11-2012 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-12-2012

Hungary

• Ratification: 27-01-2000 (A)
• Entry into force: 26-02-2000

Iceland

• Ratification: 21-03-1995 (A)
• Entry into force: 20-04-1995

India

• Ratification: 17-04-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 17-05-2001

Indonesia

• Ratification: 24-08-2012 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-09-2012

Iran

• Ratification: 26-09-1995 (A)
• Entry into force: 26-10-1995

Ireland

• Ratification: 01-11-1993 (A)
• Entry into force: 01-12-1993

Italy

• Ratification: 02-06-1989 (A)
• Entry into force: 02-07-1989

Jamaica

• Ratification: 10-06-1988 (A)
• Entry into force: 10-07-1988

Japan

• Ratification: 10-06-1985 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Jordan

• Ratification: 02-06-2006 (A)
• Entry into force: 02-07-2006

Kenya

• Ratification: 15-12-1992 (A)
• Entry into force: 14-01-1993

Kiribati

• Ratification: 05-02-2007 (A)
• Entry into force: 07-03-2007

Latvia

• Ratification: 30-11-1998 (A)
• Entry into force: 30-12-1998

Lebanon

• Ratification: 15-04-2009 (A)
• Entry into force: 15-05-2009

Liberia

• Ratification: 24-02-2009 (A)
• Entry into force: 26-03-2009

Libya

• Ratification: 28-04-2005 (A)
• Entry into force: 28-05-2005

Lithuania

• Ratification: 23-01-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-02-2001

Luxembourg

• Ratification: 14-02-1991 (A)
• Entry into force: 16-03-1991

Madagascar

• Ratification: 27-07-2017 (A)
• Entry into force: 26-08-2017

Mauritius

• Ratification: 04-05-1999 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-06-1999

Mexico

• Ratification: 26-03-1986 (A)
• Entry into force: 25-04-1986

Monaco

• Ratification: 19-11-1991 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-12-1991

Montenegro

• Ratification: 03-06-2006 (Su)
• Entry into force: 03-06-2006

Morocco

• Ratification: 10-05-1999 (A)
• Entry into force: 09-06-1999

Mozambique

• Ratification: 23-12-1996 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-01-1997

Namibia

• Ratification: 12-03-2004 (A)
• Entry into force: 11-04-2004

Netherlands, the Kingdom of the

• Signature: 27-10-1980
• Ratification: 08-07-1982 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

New Zealand

• Ratification: 26-04-1985 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985
• Cook Islands
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Niue
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Nigeria

• Ratification: 24-05-2002 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-06-2002

Niue

• Ratification: 18-05-2012 (A)
• Entry into force: 17-08-2012

Norway

• Signature: 30-10-1980
• Ratification: 09-12-1981 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Oman

• Ratification: 17-05-1993 (A)
• Entry into force: 16-06-1993

Pakistan

• Ratification: 11-11-1985 (A)
• Entry into force: 11-12-1985

Palau

• Ratification: 29-09-2011 (A)
• Entry into force: 29-10-2011

Panama

• Ratification: 20-06-2013 (A)
• Entry into force: 20-07-2013

Papua New Guinea

• Ratification: 03-08-1992 (A)
• Entry into force: 02-09-1992

Peru

• Ratification: 04-07-1988 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-08-1988

Poland

• Signature: 13-10-1980
• Ratification: 26-02-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 27-03-1988

Portugal

• Ratification: 30-10-1985 (A)
• Entry into force: 29-11-1985

Qatar

• Ratification: 20-10-2009 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-11-2009

Republic of Korea, the

• Ratification: 04-09-1995 (A)
• Entry into force: 04-10-1995

Romania

• Ratification: 19-03-1999 (A)
• Entry into force: 18-04-1999

Saint Kitts and Nevis

• Ratification: 07-10-2004 (A)
• Entry into force: 06-11-2004

Saint Lucia

• Ratification: 20-05-2004 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-06-2004

Samoa

• Ratification: 18-05-2004 (A)
• Entry into force: 17-06-2004

Saudi Arabia

• Ratification: 07-03-2006 (A)
• Entry into force: 06-04-2006

Senegal

• Ratification: 24-03-1994 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-04-1994

Serbia

• Ratification: 20-09-2005 (A)
• Entry into force: 20-10-2005

Seychelles

• Ratification: 09-09-2010 (A)
• Entry into force: 09-10-2010

Singapore

• Ratification: 20-01-1997 (A)
• Entry into force: 19-02-1997

Slovenia

• Ratification: 31-05-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 30-06-2001

South Africa

• Ratification: 25-08-1987 (A)
• Entry into force: 24-09-1987

Spain

• Ratification: 11-02-1993 (A)
• Entry into force: 13-03-1993

Sweden

• Ratification: 27-09-1982 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Switzerland

• Signature: 14-11-1979

Syria

• Ratification: 18-06-2003 (A)
• Entry into force: 18-07-2003

Tanzania

• Ratification: 16-05-2006 (A)
• Entry into force: 15-06-2006

Togo

• Ratification: 23-04-2012 (A)
• Entry into force: 23-05-2012

Tonga

• Ratification: 18-09-2003 (A)
• Entry into force: 18-10-2003

Tunisia

• Ratification: 31-07-1998 (A)
• Entry into force: 30-08-1998

Türkiye

• Signature: 24-10-1980
• Ratification: 21-11-1985 (R)
• Entry into force: 21-12-1985

Uganda

• Ratification: 03-04-2019 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-05-2019

Ukraine

• Ratification: 05-03-1993 (A)
• Entry into force: 04-04-1993

United Arab Emirates

• Ratification: 04-10-1993 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-11-1993

United States of America

• Signature: 06-11-1979
• Ratification: 12-08-1980 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985

Uruguay

• Ratification: 15-12-1987 (A)
• Entry into force: 14-01-1988

Vanuatu

• Ratification: 14-09-1992 (A)
• Entry into force: 14-10-1992

Venezuela

• Ratification: 08-07-1986 (A)
• Entry into force: 07-08-1986

Vietnam

• Ratification: 16-03-2007 (A)
• Entry into force: 15-04-2007

Australia

• Ratification: 07-11-1983 (A)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  07-11-1983
  Australia has a federal constitutional system in which legislative, executive and judicial powers are shared or distributed between the Commonwealth and the constituent States. The implementation of the Treaty throughout Australia will be effected by the Commonwealth, State and Territory authorities having regard to their respective constitutional powers and arrangements concerning their exercise.

Chile

• Signature: 31-10-1980
• Ratification: 07-10-1981 (R)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  14-10-1983
  The Government of Chile states that the creation of the maritime search and rescue services and the delimitation of the corresponding regions must be carried out strictly in conformity with the standards set forth in paragraph 2.1.4 and 2.1.5 of chapter 2 of the Convention. The Government of Chile states further that, without prejudice to co-operation with the International Civil Aviation Organization to harmonize aeronautical and maritime search and rescue plans and procedures, as recommended in resolution 1 of the Conference, the Parties to the Convention have full and sovereign liberty to establish within their territory and the waters under their jurisdiction such maritime search and rescue regions as they consider best suited to their interests.

China

• Signature: 11-09-1980
• Ratification: 24-06-1985 (R)
• Entry into force: 24-07-1985
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No
• Hong Kong SAR
  Entry into force: 01-07-1997Macao SAR
  Entry into force: 24-06-2005

• reservation
  24-06-1985
  The delimitation of search and rescue regions, as stipulated in the Annex to the Convention 2.1.7, is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any boundary between States, either is not related to and shall not prejudice the delimitation of any exclusive economic zone and continental shelf between States.

Colombia

• Ratification: 10-07-2001 (A)
• Entry into force: 09-08-2001
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  10-07-2001
  For the purposes of the said instrument, the Republic of Colombia will recognize as regions of search and rescue only those which are established in conformity with the standards established in paragraph 2.1.4 of SAR 79, that is by agreement between the interested Parties. Exceptionally, and for humanitarian reasons only, will the Republic of Colombia provisionally accept the application of other equivalent global means of search and rescue services, strictly subject to the standards established in paragraph 2.1.7 of SAR 79.

Costa Rica

• Ratification: 07-01-2019 (A)
• Entry into force: 06-02-2019
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  07-01-2019
  1 The Government of the Republic of Costa Rica interprets, in relation to article III of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, that [future] amendments shall enter into force for the country once they have been approved according to the procedures established in the Political Constitution of Costa Rica. 2 The Government of the Republic of Costa Rica interprets, in relation to chapter 3 "Co-operation" of the Annex to the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, that such co-operation, in the case of warships in waters under the jurisdiction of Costa Rica, will take place subject to prior legislative authorization, as established in paragraph 5 of article 121 of the Political Constitution of Costa Rica.

Cyprus

• Ratification: 29-07-1994 (A)
• Entry into force: 28-08-1994
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  29-07-1994
  As far as the Republic of Cyprus is concerned, the search and rescue region referred to in paragraphs 2.1.4 and 2.1.5 of the Annex to the present Convention, is the sea area which is included in the region of responsibility of the Republic of Cyprus, which has been delimited on the basis of the Convention on International Civil Aviation of 1944, including the Thirteen Protocols attached thereon from 1947 to 1984, and ratified by the subsequent law of the Republic of Cyprus No. 213 of 1988.

Greece

• Signature: 20-08-1980
• Ratification: 04-09-1989 (R)
• Entry into force: 04-10-1989
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: Yes

• reservation
  04-09-1989
  Region of responsibility: As far as Greece is concerned, the search and rescue region referred to in paragraph 2.1.4 and 2.1.5 of the Annex to the present Convention is the region within which Greece has already assumed the responsibility for search and rescue purposes, established in accordance with the relevant Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944, the regional air navigation plans of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the regulation 15 of Chapter V of the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea of 17 June 1960 (SOLAS 1960). Such region, which constitutes the most appropriate arrangement in the sense of paragraph 2.1.5 of the Annex to that Convention, was notified to the International Maritime Organization by document No.44/7.1.1975 of the Greek Ministry of Merchant Marine, and Greece has been continuously carrying out within it search and rescue operations.

  objection to reservation

  Objections Türkiye, 13-11-1989

  With reference to the IMO document SAR/Circ.41, regarding the ratification of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, by the Government of Greece, I am writing to inform you that the Government of Turkey would like to record its formal objection to the reservation made by the Government of Greece on 4 September 1989 at the time of the ratification of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979. Paragraphs 2.1.4 and 2.1.5 of the Annex to the Convention clearly stipulate that regions shall be established by agreement and cannot be established unilaterally. On the other hand, Search and Rescue regions established in accordance with the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation of 7 December 1944, as referred by Greece, pertains exclusively to the SAR services regarding air navigation and as such remains outside the scope of and does not prejudice the Annex to the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue 1979. In view of the above, the Government of Turkey considers that the Greek reservation is incompatible with the object and purpose of the Convention and cannot be construed as a reservation under the international law. A similar communication dated 30 December 1980 from the Ambassador of Turkey in London was received by the depositary recording "the formal objection" of the Government of Turkey to the same reservation made by the Government of Greece at the time of the signature of the Convention.

Malta

• Ratification: 24-09-2002 (A)
• Entry into force: 24-10-2002
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  22-12-2005
  [...] the Ministry wishes to inform that, after careful consideration of the said amendments [of 2004], in accordance with article III(2)(f) of this Convention, the Government of Malta, as a Contracting Party to the said Convention, declares that it is not yet in a position to accept these amendments.

Russian Federation

• Signature: 31-10-1980
• Ratification: 25-03-1988 (R)
• Entry into force: 24-04-1988
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  25-03-1988
  Search and rescue operations in and over the territorial waters (the territorial sea), the inland waters, the land territory of the USSR are performed as a rule by the Soviet rescue units. In exceptional cases entry of the foreign rescue units into and over the Soviet territorial waters (territorial sea), the inland waters and the land territory of the USSR for the purpose of searching and rescuing of the survivors of maritime casualties is performed in accordance with the procedures provided under the laws and regulations of the USSR unless otherwise is provided for by the treaties of the USSR.

Trinidad and Tobago

• Ratification: 04-05-1989 (A)
• Entry into force: 03-06-1989
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No

• reservation
  04-05-1989
  The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago declares that the delimitation of maritime search and rescue regions pursuant to the provisional Caribbean Maritime Search and Rescue Plan is not related to and does not prejudice in any way the delimitation of maritime boundaries between Trinidad and Tobago and other States.

United Kingdom

• Ratification: 22-05-1980 (S)
• Entry into force: 22-06-1985
• Reservations / Declarations: Yes
• Objections: No
• Anguilla
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Bermuda
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985British Virgin Islands
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Gibraltar
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Guernsey
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Hong Kong (< 01-07-1997)
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985
  Termination: 01-07-1997Jersey
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985Man, Isle of
  Entry into force: 22-06-1985

• reservation
  22-05-1980
  ... that the Convention will not enter into force for Gibraltar until 30 days after the date on which the Government of the United Kingdom notify the Secretary-General of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization that the measures required to implement the provisions of the Convention in Gibraltar have been taken.