Call for IMO to Resolve Inconsistencies in Ship Recycling Conventions
BIMCO, Bangladesh, India, Norway, Pakistan and the ICS have submitted a paper ahead of the 81st Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting on March 18-22 that highlights the need to resolve possible conflicts between the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention.
The Hong Kong Convention will enter into force on June 26, 2025, and the co-signatories of the paper ask for clarification and assurance that shipowners and parties operating in compliance with the Hong Kong Convention will not be sanctioned as a violation of the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.
In some jurisdictions, contravention of the Basel Convention, as applied to ship recycling, has resulted in sanctions against shipowners and masters.
One of the inconsistencies the paper asks the IMO to consider is related to hazardous waste. Once a ship has received an International Ready for Recycling Certificate (IRRC) under the Hong Kong Convention, it may at the same time be considered a hazardous waste under the provisions of the Basel Convention. During the entire validity period of the IRRC (up to three months), the ship could therefore risk being arrested for breach of the Basel Convention requirements while trading.
Since both the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention can apply to end-of-life ships, shipowners risk prosecution in cases when the shipowner has sent the ships for recycling at yards that comply with the Hong Kong Convention in one of the four major recycling states, namely Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Turkey.
GMS, the world’s largest buyer of ship and offshore assets, supports the submission. Dr. Anand Hiremath, Chief Sustainability Officer at GMS, emphasizes the timeliness of BIMCO's intervention, stating, "As we approach the enforcement of the Hong Kong Convention in the next 16 months, it's crucial to acknowledge its role as the potential universal standard for ship recycling. The adoption of a singular, global standard will significantly enhance transparency and facilitate upgrades in the industry. The Hong Kong Convention represents both a starting point and a foundational platform that should be universally embraced."
