The Portuguese government announced that it has ratified the Hong Kong International Convention on Ship Recycling and incorporated it into national law. This action brings the total number of countries that have ratified the Convention to twenty (20).
Firstly, introduced in 2019, the Hong Kong Convention still waits for its ratification and will enter into force 24 months after it has been ratified from 15 IMO States, representing 40 per cent of the worlds’ merchant shipping by gross tonnage.
The Hong Kong Convention was developed with input from IMO Member States and non-governmental organizations, and in co-operation with the International Labour Organization and the Parties to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal. The main intention is to regulate that the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships, as well as, the operation of ship recycling facilities, will occur in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Additionally, it aims to the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements.
The Hong Kong Convention puts the responsibility for its enforcement on the vessel’s flag state and the recycling state. A ship to which the Convention applies to may – in any port or offshore terminal of another Party – be subject to inspection by officers authorized for the purpose of determining whether the ship is compliant. If the ship is detected to be in violation of the Convention the Party carrying out the inspection will take steps to warn, detain, dismiss, or exclude the ship from its ports.
The Hong Kong Convention: Key Highlights
- The Convention suggests an initial survey to be carried out to verify the Inventory of Hazardous Materials, additional surveys during the life of the ship and a final survey prior to recycling.
- Ship recycling yards will need a Ship Recycling Plan for each specific ship explaining the exact manner of the process and assuring the safe handling and disposal of hazardous materials.
- An appendix provides a list of hazardous materials, the installation or use of which is prohibited or restricted in shipyards, ship repair yards and Parties to the Convention.
- The Ship Recycling Plan has to be implemented safely by trained workers taking all safety precautions and having adequate updating on the progress.
- A detailed ship recycling completion report is needed since transparency is of outmost importance.
- In the Ship Recycling Yards the parts of the ship are melted and used in steel mills and the engines, generators and panels are resold. Lifeboats and furniture are resold to local fishermen and other coastal communities.
