Latest Update to HNS Finder search tool now available

Posted: 26/02/2026

A new version of the HNS Finder, the online HNS search tool, has been released and published here.

The HNS Finder is an online database that lists all substances which fall within the definition of HNS under the 2010 HNS Convention, including those listed as contributing cargo. The Finder is aimed at facilitating the identification of HNS contributing cargo by entities liable to submit reports. It has been in operation since 2011 and has been updated annually by the Secretariat of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds). The latest version (version 16) will be used for the reporting calendar year 2025.

An archive system is also available to facilitate access to previous years’ lists of substances. By default, the HNS Finder presents a searchable list of HNS identified in all the codes and listings in force during the current calendar year. The deadline for submitting reports to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is 31 May each year.

The Finder is a key resource for Contracting States and for countries considering accession to the Convention. It will play a critical role in HNS reporting upon the Convention’s entry into force, which the IOPC Funds anticipates will happen in the near future, in light of the stated intention of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden to ratify the HNS Protocol in 2026, as announced at the IMO Assembly in November 2025.

For assistance with reporting, implementation of the Convention, or any other related queries please contact [email protected].