Executive Agreement Series No. 42
856.8561/8
The Acting Secretary of State to the Netherlands Minister (Van Royen)
Sir: I have the honor to refer to your note No. 3956, dated November 16, 1931, and likewise to your note No. 935 of March 18, 1932, both of which relate to the proposed load-line agreement between the Governments of the United States and the Netherlands.
It is noted that the Government of the Netherlands has designated the following bureaus as private investigation bureaus recognized in [Page 490] accordance with the “Schepenwet” (Netherlands Merchant Shipping Act of July 1, 1909):
- 1.
- Lloyd’s Register of British and Foreign Shipping;
- 2.
- British Corporation for the survey and registry of shipping;
- 3.
- Bureau Veritas;
- 4.
- Germanischer Lloyd;
- 5.
- Det Norske Veritas.
The United States Government is willing to recognize the load-line certificates issued by the aforementioned classification societies to merchant ships of the Netherlands when they are issued under the authority thus granted by the Netherland Government.
This Government has authorized the marking of load-lines and the issuance of certificates therefor, on American vessels, by the American Bureau of Shipping, the American Committee of Lloyd’s Registry of Shipping, and the American representatives of the Bureau Veritas.
The Government of the United States is also willing to recognize the certificates issued by the Netherland Government pursuant to the Royal Decree of January 29, 1932, (Official Gazette No. 25) which amends certain regulations under the Shipping Law of the Netherlands so as to allow the assignment of smaller freeboards than hitherto authorized provided it can be done without danger to ship and crew, and that the freeboards so assigned are in accordance with the provisions contained in the International Load Line Convention of July 5, 1930.
Note has been taken of Royal Decree No. 414 of October 8, 1931, by which the provisions in force in the United States in regard to the minimum water-line as established under the law of March 2, 1929, will be recognized by the Netherland Government. It is the view of this Government, therefore, that the agreement for the recognition by each Government of the load-lines marked and of the certificates issued under the authority of the other Government, may now be regarded as complete.
Accept [etc.]