According to the letter published by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) dated June 26, 2023, it is stated that Bangladesh, one of the leading countries in ship recycling, and the Liberian Registry, the world’s second-largest ship registration authority, have agreed to approve the “Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.”
It is mentioned that the Hong Kong Convention was approved by Bangladesh on June 12, 2023, and after the commitment of the Liberian Registry, all necessary conditions for the entry into force of the Convention have been met. The Convention will enter into force 24 months after being approved by 15 countries, representing 40% of the world’s commercial shipping tonnage.
What is the Hong Kong Convention?
The Hong Kong Convention (International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships – 2009) was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on May 15, 2009, to reduce or minimize the adverse effects of ship recycling on human health and the environment.
It was signed by the Republic of Turkey on August 26, 2010. Later, the Turkish Grand National Assembly ratified the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships on March 31, 2017. The purpose of the Convention is to establish standards for ships and ship recycling facilities to ensure they operate without posing a risk to human health, safety, and the environment. The rules outlined in the Convention address various issues, including:
Addressing substances harmful to the environment, such as asbestos, heavy metals, and hydrocarbons, that may be found in ships sold for recycling;
Ensuring ships are built and operated in a way that allows for safe and sound recycling;
The standards that ship recycling facilities must maintain to ensure safe working and environmental conditions;
The creation of an enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, including documentation and notification obligations.
According to the Convention, all ships are required to maintain an inventory of hazardous materials. Before recycling begins, ships will undergo an inspection to verify the hazardous materials inventory. Ship recycling facilities will create a “Ship Recycling Plan” in accordance with the hazardous materials inventory, outlining how the recycling of each ship will be carried out. States that are parties to the Convention will take effective measures to ensure that ship recycling facilities comply with the standards set out in the Convention to guarantee safe working and environmental conditions.
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