The International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA) argued that the EU recycling capacity will possibly cope with the expected demand of end of life EU flagged ships, as the current listed EU capacity to recycle ships amounts only about 1,3 million LDT.
In the past months, attention has been drawn to the date of 31-12-2018, of the entry into force of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, stipulating that the recycling capacity to recycle EU flagged ships should be 2,5 million LDT.
In various articles in the press it is argued that, by the coming into force of the EU-regulation, a possible shortage of sound and safe recycling facilities could occur. Thorough analysis of historic figures by ISRA shows that the amount of end of life of EU flagged ships in the past eight years declined from an average of 750 k to 450 k per year. The current listed EU capacity to recycle ships amounts 1,3 million LDT. So this capacity is ample to cope with the expected demand of end of life EU flagged ships.
Additional capacity of estimated 0,5 million LDT will become available in due course as it is expected that more recycling facilities will be listed on the EU-list end of this year, ISRA added.
It is also argued that the capacity in the EU is limited by the size of the yards not able to handling large ships. Out of the same research done by ISRA, it turns out that over the last seven years a minor number of EU flagged end-of life -vessels > 12.500 has been recycled and brought to beaches. ISRA emphasizes that these few ships could well have been recycled in responsible yards in Turkey.
Analysis of the expected volume of EU flagged end-of-life-vessels from 2019 on shows that the next eight years this volume will not exceed the 1 million LDT. ISRA will continue its efforts and supports to the EU Commission to finish the listing as soon as possible.
