With industry estimates suggesting more than 15,000 vessels will need to be recycled by 2032*, more than double the number recycled in the previous decade, turning ageing ships into new assets has never been more critical. However, beyond the recycling industry itself, it’s a challenge that is far from front of mind for most maritime decision-makers. Nor-Shipping is aiming to change this with a brand new initiative in 2027, the first Nor-Shipping Ship Recycling Conference.

The new, dedicated three-hour conference, taking place on Nor-Shipping’s Main Stage on 9 June, will bring together a broad range of stakeholders to discuss the future of sustainable, transparent and commercially realistic recycling. Experts including ship recyclers, regulators, class societies, financiers, insurers, and more will take to the stage to help owners, operators and others understand this evolving segment and navigate it with responsibility, care and commercial acumen.

Engaging new audiences

Nor-Shipping is working with a committee of globally leading experts to define a programme that delivers maximum value for a broad-based audience, as Sidsel Norvik, Director, explains:

“Rather than simply creating another ship recycling conference for those already involved in ship recycling, we’re looking to engage the industry as a whole – demystifying this vital segment and connecting with new audiences. This is a hugely important piece of our maritime puzzle, and it’s only growing in significance as the industry evolves. With the help of our expert committee, we think we can offer something that both builds a better understanding of the challenges and opportunities here, as well as delivering real long-term value.”

The conference programme and speakers are currently in development, but Nor-Shipping can already reveal that three sessions will take place, with individual focuses on: Forecast, capacity, expectations and steel; the battle of Basel and the Hong Kong Convention, and the target of a single global system; and finally shipowners, commercial realities, transparency and ESG.

Simplifying complexity

Nor-Shipping Ship Recycling Conference Committee Chair Nayeem Noor, of GMS, the world’s largest buyer of ships and offshore assets for recycling, comments: “A vessel’s final voyage deserves the same attention and responsibility as every other stage of its trading life. Those of us in the ship recycling industry understand the complexities of navigating regulatory requirements while ensuring environmental protection and high standards of worker health and safety.

“The inaugural Ship Recycling Conference at Nor-Shipping presents an opportunity to bring this conversation to the wider maritime community, including shipowners, operators, cash buyers, recycling facilities, financiers, insurers, classification societies, maritime legal professionals and regulators.

“We want participants to leave with greater insight, stronger connections and a clearer understanding of how to maximise a vessel’s residual value while ensuring responsible and sustainable recycling.”

Alongside GMS the conference committee includes ship recycling specialists from Intertanko, BIMCO, Norwegian Shipowners Association, S.H. Enterprise, Lila Group and more.

Added value activities

The new initiative fits into a packed programme of dedicated conferences designed to deliver ‘something for everyone’ across the industry value chain. Other Nor-Shipping 2027 conferences include The Ocean Leadership Conference, Offshore Wind Conference, LNG Conference, Deep Sea Minerals Conference, Offshore Aquaculture Conference, International Ship Autonomy Conference, the new NEXT fuels conference and more to be announced.

The Nor-Shipping 2027 exhibition and activity programme runs from 7 to 11 June across Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway.