Conditions for ship recycling are generally sub-standard,
especially from the work environment perspective, at shipyards
engaged in this type of activity in countries including India,
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Ships are scrapped on beaches by workers
without any kind of protective equipment. Scrapping of ships was
discontinued in Europe in the 1970s. In order to improve conditions
for ship recycling, the entire operating life of the ship must be
taken into account.
Resolution A.962(23) Guidelines on Ship Recycling
The IMO adopted Resolution A.962(23) Guidelines on Ship
Recycling on 23 December 2003. The guidelines describe procedures
for encouraging recycling when new ships are built. Preparations
for recycling ships and ship equipment can be made in the design
and construction stages. Preparation may extend to evaluation of
the type, quantity and potential risks of the materials used, the
location of the material onboard the ship and options for dealing
with any generation of hazardous waste through e.g., installing
technology that produces less waste. The guidelines also mention a
“Green Passport” to facilitate recycling of ships. It
is meant to follow the ship throughout its operating life and
provide information about potentially hazardous construction
materials, equipment and systems.
MEPC/Circ. 419, Guidelines for the Development of the Ship
Recycling Plan provides further technical information and guidance
on how a ship recycling plan, SRP, should be written
(recommendation in section 8.3.2 of Resolution A.962(23) IMO
Guidelines on Ship Recycling).
Recycling facilities and ship-owners are encouraged to use the
parts applicable to their situations.
The International Convention on Safe and Environmentally Sound
Recycling of Ships
IMO is currently developing a Convention providing globally
applicable ship recycling regulations for international shipping
and for recycling activities. An ad hoc diplomatic conference is to
take place in Hong Kong, China, from 11 to 15 May 2009, to consider
for adoption the new international convention for the safe and
environmentally sound recycling of ships.
The Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) of the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved the text of the
draft ship recycling convention for adoption at a conference in
2009, when it met for its 58th session in July 2008.
The new convention will provide regulations for the design,
construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to
facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without
compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships; the
operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and
environmentally sound manner; and the establishment of an
appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating
certification and reporting requirements.
Ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry an
inventory of hazardous materials, specific to each ship, while an
appendix to the convention will provide a list of hazardous
materials whose installation or use in ships is prohibited or
restricted in shipyards, ship repair yards, and ships of parties to
the future convention. Ships will have to have an initial survey to
verify the inventory of hazardous materials, surveys during the
life of the ship, and a final survey prior to recycling.
Ship recycling yards will be required to provide a "Ship
Recycling Plan", to specify the manner in which each ship will be
recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory. Parties
will be required to take effective measures to ensure that ship
recycling facilities under their jurisdiction comply with the
convention.
A series of guidelines are being developed to assist in the
implementation of the new convention while the entry into force
criteria for the convention (number of States required and
percentage of gross merchant shipping tonnage) will be decided by
the 2009 conference when formally adopting the proposed
convention.