The European shipping industry welcomes the recent announcement by the Government of India that the country intends to ratify the Hong Kong International Convention For Safe And Environmentally Sound Recycling Of Ships, also known as the HKC.

Once ratified, India will become the first ship-recycling country in the region to do so. The ratification is a significant step towards achieving safe and environmentally-sound ship-recycling throughout the world, as India is a major ship-recycling centre. In 2018, India received more than 250 vessels of almost five million gross tonnes – amounting to between 25-35% of the world’s recycling tonnage.

“The entry into force of the HKC will help ensure a binding international regulatory framework for a better common standard in the ship-recycling industry,” said Martin Dorsman, ECSA’s Secretary-General.

“The fact that India has announced its intention to ratify the HKC, and that many Indian facilities are already compliant with the HKC, shows that India and many Indian ship-recycling facilities are very committed to raise the ship-recycling standards. For some time now, Indian facilities apply for inclusion on the EU list of approved ship recycling facilities, but the applications were not approved. The recent announcement by India is another sign of progress made in India and ECSA urges the EU to support Indian facilities to meet as soon as possible the EU requirements,” Mr Dorsman continued.