The Hong Kong Convention will finally enter into force

Bangladeshi authorities have pledged to ratify the Hong Kong Convention on the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships before summer. Thanks to this ratification, the Convention will finally enter into force, European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) informed on its website.

The Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships will finally enter into force, after its ratification by Bangladesh.

The Bangladeshi authorities have indeed pledged to ratify the convention before summer.

This marks a leap forward to ensure proper recycling of ships.

Last week, ECSA Secretary General, Sotiris Raptis, visited Bangladesh as part of a delegation led by the Norwegian authorities to put focus on this important issue.

It was during this visit that the Bangladeshi authorities made the pledge.

“We are very happy with this outcome. It is a clear priority for European shipowners to make sure that decommissioned ships are recycled in a safe and environmentally sound manner, and this ratification is a huge step in the right direction. We will then have a set of internationally binding regulations on the proper recycling of ships – that is good news,” says ECSA Secretary General, Sotiris Raptis.

The Hong Kong Convention was first agreed in 2009, and it sets requirements for ships, shipyards, flag states and authorities to ensure that the recycling of ships takes place in a safe and environmentally friendly way.

When the convention enters into force, the regulations will apply to all ships and shipyards, regardless of where the work to cut the ship takes place.

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BIMCO APPLAUDS BANGLADESHI HONG KONG CONVENTION PLEDGE AFTER INDUSTRY VISIT

BIMCO’s Secretary General and CEO, David Loosley visited both Chattogram and Dhaka as part of the industry delegation to discuss the benefits of the Convention entering into force.

“BIMCO is delighted that Bangladesh has confirmed their commitment to ratifying the Convention in the very near future. The need for compliant facilities from the main recycling states such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan is critical due to the large number of ships expected to be recycled over the next 10 years,” says BIMCO Secretary General and CEO, David Loosley.

Several shipyards in the main recycling states have made significant efforts towards upgrading their facilities.

BIMCO has previously called for the Convention to enter into force, and for yards already meeting the standards of the Hong Kong Convention to be added to the EU list of approved yards, as there are currently none outside of the EU on the list.

With the Hong Kong Convention entering into force, focus can increasingly turn to these facilities and increase the much-needed global recycling capacity at yards complying with universal standards.

“The potential for adding to the circular economy is too large to be missed. The ship recycling industry provides thousands of jobs, and the steel is re-used, but it must comply with international safety and environmental regulations, and ship owners must choose to recycle at compliant yards only, to ensure that it is done safely. The Hong Kong Convention entering into force is a crucial step in the right direction,” Loosley added.

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