The proposal recognises ship recycling facilities that have demonstrated compliance with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, irrespective of where they are located.

“This is an important step. And it has been a long time coming. Facilities that meet the EU’s high environmental and safety requirements should be recognised regardless of geography. Rewarding those who invest in higher standards creates incentives for further improvements across the global ship recycling industry and will lead to more ships being recycled under en­viron­men­tal­ly sound and safe conditions. This is absolutely crucial,” says Nina Porst, Executive Director of Sustainable Ships & Skills at Danish Shipping.

Responsible ship recycling is an essential part of shipping’s green transition. It enables the safe dismantling of end-of-life vessels, supports fleet renewal with more energy-efficient ships, and contributes to the circular economy through the recovery and reuse of valuable materials such as steel.

The proposal also addresses a growing need for recycling capacity. According to BIMCO, more than 16,000 ships are expected to require recycling over the next decade, which represents a significant increase compared to the previous ten years. Expanding the European list of ship recycling facilities is necessary to ensure sufficient and geographically realistic recycling capacity, particularly for larger ocean-going vessels.

“The improvements made by leading facilities in Alang clearly demonstrate that international regulation – the Hong Kong Convention – is delivering real progress. We need to maintain this momentum. Especially that compliant facilities on the European list continues to invest in higher environmental and safety standards while ensuring that Danish and European shipowners have access to the responsible recycling capacity, they will need in the years ahead,” says Nina Porst.

Danish Shipping encourages the EU Member States and the European Parliament to support the Commission’s proposal and calls on the Commission to continue assessing and recognising facilities that meet the requirements of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. A transparent and performance-based listing process will help strengthen global standards for safe and en­viron­men­tal­ly sound ship recycling while supporting the transition to a more sustainable shipping industry.