BIMCO has launched its fourth industry film, calling for the urgent adoption of the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, and for ship owners to only choose yards that live up to the convention.

According to BIMCO, the film, “Ship Recycling: Time for Change”, is partly filmed at ship recycling yards in Alang, India, one of the largest ship recycling nations in the world together with Bangladesh. The film aims to raise awareness among global regulators, ship owners, and the public of the vast potential for the ship recycling industry to add to a sustainable global circular economy if done safely.

"The numbers speak for themselves. The raw scrap steel from ship recycling feeds around 350 re-rolling mills that supply approximately 50% of the annual steel consumption in Bangladesh alone, and the industry creates thousands of jobs for people providing for their families", said BIMCO Secretary General and CEO, David Loosley.

"But ship recycling has for too long been unsafe for workers and the environment at yards that do not live up to the standards of the Hong Kong Convention. It is time for change and for ship recycling to be done the right way", Loosley says.

During a visit to Chattogram and Dhaka in Bangladesh in early May by BIMCO and other industry organisations to discuss the benefits of ratifying the Hong Kong Convention, Bangladesh confirmed its commitment to ratify this year, allowing the convention to enter into force.

According to BIMCO estimates, more than 15,000 ships will be recycled over the next ten years, a more than 100% rise compared with the last ten years, partly due to stricter greenhouse gas regulations facing the shipping industry.

"This year, there is a window of opportunity for the Hong Kong Convention to enter into force which could positively change the face of the recycling industry forever – we must take it", says Loosley.

The Hong Kong Convention was developed over three and a half years in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the parties to the Basel Convention. It was adopted by 63 countries in 2009 and addresses safety, proper working conditions, environmental issues and how to deal with hazardous materials. Until now, the Convention has not been ratified by enough nations to enter into force.

Furthemore, except for Bangladesh, 20 Contracting States have ratified the Convention, representing 30.16% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping. The 20 countries are: Belgium, Congo, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Luxembourg, Malta, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Spain and Türkiye.

Source: Safety4sea

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	Issue 84 of Robban Assafina (March/ April 2023)