Parliament backs plans to halt reckless scrapping of old ships
The European Parliament (EP) adopted on 22 October 2013 at plenary session in Strasbourg a legislative resolution on a new Ship Recycling Regulation by a large majority of the votes. The European Parliament backed plans agreed with EU Ministers to end the scrapping of old EU-registered ships on third-country beaches and ensure they are recycled in EU-approved facilities worldwide instead.
The adopted text is the result of a compromise agreement reached last June in Trilogue between the Council under the Irish Presidency, the Parliament and the Commission. The new EU Regulation will allow ships flying the flag of an EU member state to be scrapped outside the EU provided that strict standards are met. These standards effectively mean the end of “beaching” where ships are simply taken apart on a beach, with consequences for human health and the environment.
According to the European Parliament press release, the MEPs say that seaching ships to scrap them jeopardises workers’ health, safety and the environment. “I want to stress that this is not an attack against India, Bangladesh or Pakistan – the countries that currently practice beaching – but against the dangerous and highly polluting practice of beaching itself, said Carl Schlyter (Greens/EFA, SE), who steered the legislation through Parliament.
“This regulation incentivizes these countries to make the necessary investments in proper ship recycling facilities – above all for the sake of safe and environmentally-sound jobs in their countries”, he added.
An EU list of ship-recycling facilities
In future, EU-registered ships will have to be dismantled in EU-approved ship recycling facilities which must fulfil specific requirements, be certified and be regularly inspected.
During the negotiations, Parliament strengthened the proposed requirements, inter alia by obliging ship-recycling businesses to operate in built structures, which must be “designed, constructed and be operated in a safe and environmentally sound manner”. They must hold in hazardous materials throughout the recycling process and handle them and their waste only on impermeable floors with effective drainage. Waste quantities will have to be documented, and their treatment authorised only in waste treatment or recycling facilities
Non-EU ships, as well as EU ones, will be covered by the regulation insofar as they will have to carry an inventory of hazardous materials when calling at EU ports. Enforcement measures, including penalties, are to be set by member states.
The Commission will have to report on the feasibility of a financial instrument to facilitate safe and sound ship recycling and, if appropriate, present a legislative proposal within 3 years of the entry into force of the regulation.
Ship recycling deal in European Parliament welcomed
Isabelle Ryckbost, Secretary General of European Sea Ports organization (ESPO) welcomed the balanced outcome of the political process on ship recycling. “Conscious ship recycling is an important issue with serious social and environmental impacts. In that respect, ESPO urges Member States to ratify soonest the 2009 Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, allowing its global application. Furthermore, we remain at the disposition of all parties involved in view of further discussing the appropriate application of the polluter pays principle in ship recycling,” she said.
Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General of European Community Shipowners’ Organization (ECSA), also welcomed the outcome of the vote and added:
“ECSA is confident that this agreement between the EU Institutions is not undermining the 2009 Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, (better known as ‘Hong Kong Convention’ or ‘HKC’) and urges Member States to ratify the HKC soonest, allowing a quick application globally.”
Proposal for Ship Recycling Regulation – Next steps
The regulation will apply to ships at the earliest 2 years and at the latest 5 years after its entry into force, the eventual date depending upon when the recycling capacity of facilities on the EU list exceeds a threshold of 2.5 million light displacement tonnes.
The provisions on ship-recycling facilities will apply from 1 year after the regulation enters into force (i.e. 20 days after its publication).
The draft legislation was approved by 591 votes to 47, with 32 abstentions.
The legislative text will be formally adopted by the Council in the near future.
For more information on ship recycling, read the articles
European lawmakers tighten rules on ship-breaking industryShip Recycling DevelopmentsEU: Towards cleaner scrapping of old ships |