Modern ship recycling
The Hong Kong Convention and Its Implications
Environmentally Friendly Ship Recycling
Text by Mr. Mario Eisenhut, October 2023
Ship recycling is a critical phase in a ship's lifecycle but carries significant risks.
Historically, many ships were scrapped in countries with lower environmental and safety standards, leading to severe environmental impacts and health risks for workers.
The International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, also known as the Hong Kong Convention, is a significant international agreement aimed at making ship recycling practices safer and more environmentally friendly.
This text aims to shed light on the background and objectives of the convention, the importance of Bangladesh and Liberia joining, and the expected impact on the global ship recycling industry.
The history of Hong Kong Convention
The Hong Kong Convention was adopted on May 15, 2009, and enters into force 24 months after ratification by 15 states representing 40 percent of the world's gross tonnage of merchant ships and with a combined annual ship recycling capacity of at least 3 percent of their combined tonnage.
On June 26, 2023, Bangladesh and Liberia joined the Hong Kong Convention.
The accession of Bangladesh and Liberia represents significant milestones on the path to implementing the convention because Bangladesh is one of the largest ship recycling countries in the world, and Liberia is one of the largest flag states in the world by tonnage.
The accession of these countries substantially increases the number of contracting parties and tonnage coverage, meeting the conditions for the convention to enter into force.
Key Objectives of the Hong Kong Convention
- The introduction of global standards for ship recycling.
- ·Minimizing risks to the environment, human health, and safety.
- Creating transparency and accountability in the ship recycling industry.
Guidelines to Support the Hong Kong Convention:
The convention includes comprehensive regulations for the design, operation, and certification of ship recycling facilities, as well as the review of hazardous materials inventories on board ships. Guidelines are being developed to support the implementation of the convention and ensure that recycling practices worldwide comply with international standards.
The Hong Kong Convention includes a comprehensive set of guidelines developed to assist contracting parties in implementing the provisions of the convention.
These guidelines provide detailed instructions and recommendations on how to put the requirements of the convention into practice.
Some of the key guidelines provided under the Hong Kong Convention include:
Guidelines for the Preparation of Ship Recycling Plans:
These guidelines offer clear guidance on creating recycling plans for ships. Each ship has unique features and inventories that must be considered when planning for safe and environmentally sound recycling. The guidelines provide a structured method for creating these plans to ensure that all relevant aspects are covered.
Guidelines for the Review of Hazardous Materials Inventories:
One of the crucial requirements of the convention is the review of hazardous materials inventories on board ships to ensure they are properly identified and handled. The guidelines for this review establish the procedures and requirements to ensure that no hazardous materials are overlooked.
Guidelines for Ship Inspections:
Compliance with the provisions of the Hong Kong Convention requires regular inspections of ships and recycling facilities. These guidelines provide clear instructions for inspections, including initial inspections to confirm the hazardous materials inventory, renewing inspections during the ship's life, and final inspections before recycling.
Guidelines for the Certification of Recycling Facilities:
To ensure that ship recycling facilities comply with the convention's standards, clear certification procedures are required. These guidelines set out the requirements for the certification of recycling facilities and describe the examination processes to ensure compliance.
Guidelines for the Management of Recycling Facilities:
Proper management of ship recycling facilities is crucial to ensure environmental and safety standards are met. These guidelines provide instructions for facility management and give clear guidance on safety and environmental protection aspects.
Providing these guidelines is crucial to ensuring the effective implementation of the Hong Kong Convention. They offer contracting parties clear steps and procedures to meet the requirements of the convention and ensure that ship recycling practices are safe, environmentally sound, and transparent. The precise implementation and adherence to these guidelines will significantly reduce risks to the environment, human health, and safety in the ship recycling industry.
The author of the text
Mr. Eisenhut is an experienced professional in the field of risk management and business intelligence, always striving to provide the clients with the best possible solutions for their needs. With his expertise in the areas of security situation reports, and crisis early warning, he helps companies minimize risks and optimize their business processes.
Mr. Eisenhut strengths lie in analyzing complex data and developing strategies to improve business operations. He works closely with his clients to understand their individual needs and develop tailored solutions.
Pictures:
brown ship on sea during daytime
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Ship In The Sea!
Photo by Hari Gaddigopula on Unsplash
brown ship on shore
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Download this free HD photo of greece, boat, gythios and shipwreck in
Gythios, Greece by fauve othon (@fauve_othon)
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grayscale photo of ship on sea
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shipwreck
Photo by Alwi Alaydrus on Unsplash
close-up photo of factory
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urbex factory
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a rusted metal surface with lots of rust on it
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rust-4
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round black compass
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Antique U.S. Engineer Corps solid brass magnetic compass, manufactured in 1918. Compass dial is ivory and features large directional letters, markings and a gold arrow pointing true north.
Photo by Jen Theodore on Unsplash
Portrait picture of author provided by the author of the text, Mr. Eisenhut