Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling Enters into Force

Starting from June 26, 2025, ships that have reached the end of their operational lives must be recycled in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner. The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships will come into effect on this date, establishing mandatory regulations for ship recycling.

Developed under the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Hong Kong Convention addresses several key areas:

• The design, construction, operation, and preparation of ships to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling.
• The operation of ship recycling facilities.
• Enforcement mechanisms, including surveys, authorizations, certifications, inspections, and reporting requirements.

IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez stated that the implementation of the Hong Kong Convention marks a significant milestone in the global effort to promote sustainable and safe ship recycling practices. He emphasized that this achievement reflects years of dedicated work and will enhance efforts to protect human health and the environment in this vital industry.

The Convention also tackles hazardous materials and working conditions. Most ships are recycled when they are decommissioned, with nearly all materials and equipment being reused or recycled. The Hong Kong Convention addresses critical environmental, occupational health, and safety risks associated with ship recycling, distributing responsibilities among stakeholders, including shipowners, shipbuilding yards, recycling facilities, flag states, port states, and recycling states.

Key measures of the Convention include:

• Prohibiting or restricting the use of hazardous materials on ships, such as asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, ozone-depleting substances, and certain anti-fouling compounds.
• Requiring detailed inventories of hazardous materials.
• Outlining operational requirements for ship recycling facilities, including working conditions.
• Establishing robust mechanisms for certification, compliance, and enforcement.

To assist developing countries, the IMO has organized workshops to raise awareness of the Convention and is actively working with nations to build their capacity for ratification and implementation. This includes the ongoing Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling (SENSREC) Project, supported by the Government of Norway, which provides comprehensive assistance in policy alignment, institutional mechanisms, and capacity development related to sustainable practices. The SENSREC Project is currently active in Bangladesh and Pakistan.

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships was adopted at a Diplomatic Conference in Hong Kong in May 2009. The requirements for its entry into force were met in 2023, with the Convention taking effect 24 months later, on June 26, 2025. Several ship recycling nations have already begun implementing the Convention’s technical standards voluntarily.

Currently, there are 24 parties to the Convention, including major flag states like Japan, Liberia, the Marshall Islands, and Panama, as well as significant ship recycling countries such as Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Türkiye, collectively covering 57,15 % of the world’s shipping by tonnage.

The Convention was developed with input from intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations and in cooperation with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.