Blue Card-Gas Carriers 19 February 2007 No.06-013 Further to our previous Circular No.06-008 of 15 January 2006 titled "Blue Card- Issuance to Registered Owners Only" we would like to inform the Members of the issuance of Blue Cards for Gas Carriers as follows. The Clubs in the International Group are the principal providers of the Blue Cards which provide the basis for States to issue the State certificates in accordance with the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992 (CLC). The Convention requires the owner of a ship registered in a CLC Contracting State and carrying more than 2,000 tons of oil in bulk as cargo to maintain insurance cover in accordance with the requirements of the Convention, which is evidenced by the Blue Card issued by the Club. CLC tankers must carry a State certificate on board attesting the insurance coverage. It has been reported that some Gas Carrier Members entered in International Group Clubs have requested the issuance of Blue Cards on the basis that they are required by certain port authorities in order to meet the certification requirements of the 1992 CLC. It is understood that some Clubs may have complied with these requests. Technically, no Blue Cards should be needed by, or issued to, Gas Carriers (whether LNG or LPG) as they do not fall into the definition of a "ship" under CLC 92 (which is "any sea-going vessel and seaborne craft of any type whatsoever constructed or adapted for the carriage of oil in bulk as cargo, provided that a ship capable of carrying oil and other cargoes shall be regarded as a ship only when it is actually carrying oil in bulk as cargo and during any voyage following such carriage unless it is proved that it has no residues of such carriage of oil in bulk aboard."), because (i)LNG vessels are not constructed to carry persistent oil as cargo nor do they actually carry such oil as cargo; (ii)no new LPG vessels are constructed to carry persistent oil as cargo nor do they ac