• 2022 May 9 12:34

    EU proposal on waste shipments can ‘level playing field’ for South Asian recycling yards, says Sea Sentinels

    Sustainable ship recycling consultancy Sea Sentinels believes proposed changes to the EU’s Waste Shipment Regulation will bring “legal clarity” on hazardous waste exports that will benefit South Asian shipbreaking yards seeking to gain compliance with EU recycling standards.

    Ships that are sold for recycling at the end of their lifetime contain dangerous substances such as asbestos and mercury as well as toxic chemicals like oil, fuel and ballast water that constitute a risk both to human health and the environment if they are not managed and disposed of properly.

    Exports of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries in EU-flagged ships being sent for recycling are banned under the Basel Convention on transboundary shipments of such waste, which has been transposed into the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR) that requires ships to be recycled at EU-compliant yards on an approved list.

    But this has not prevented a number of shipowners from circumventing the so-called Basel Ban by selling ships to cash buyers who then rename these vessels and switch them to flags of convenience.

    Sustainable recycling supervision

    By using cash buyers as middlemen, shipowners can obtain higher steel prices for scrap tonnage while also theoretically avoiding legal, financial and other risks when selling their old ships for dismantling.

    This means formerly EU-flagged ships have ended up at yards not on the EU-approved list where they may be dismantled in a manner that poses the risk of toxic spills and other types of pollution to coastal ecosystems, as well as hazards to the health of workers.

    Countering this trend, Singapore-based Sea Sentinels has taken responsibility for supervision of a number of successful sustainable ship recycling projects at South Asian and other yards that have entailed ensuring safe disposal of hazardous waste in documented compliance with regulations.

    Its chief executive Rakesh Bhargava believes the EU’s proposed amendment to the Waste Shipment Regulation (WSR) would, if approved, represent “a significant step forward” as it would strongly incentivise continued improvements at these yards to gain EUSRR compliance.

    The proposal would impose stricter rules on exports of hazardous waste to non-OECD countries intended to ensure that facilities receiving this waste have been audited and can manage it sustainably.

    Lobbying effort

    Importantly, this amendment distinguishes between EU-flagged ships on which the decision to recycle is taken inside or outside EU territory - and basically allows for those sold for scrap outside the bloc to be recycled at non-OECD facilities provided these are on the list of EU-compliant yards.

    EU policymakers are now set to discuss the proposal this spring, with a vote due by year-end on the WSR amendment that would also result in changes to waste shipment rules under the EUSRR if it is ratified.

    The European Community Shipowners’ Association (ECSA) is lobbying strongly in favour of the amendment that it believes would resolve a legal anomaly whereby non-OECD yards are currently unable to receive EU-flagged ships for recycling - even if they are fully EU-compliant - due to the Basel Ban.

    Danish Shipping’s executive director for climate, environment and security, Maria Skipper Schwenn, has characterised the present situation as “a legal mess creating obstacles to progress on sustainability in this industry”, especially given the lack of global regulation as the IMO’s Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on safe and environmentally sound ship recycling has still not entered into force.

    This is backed up by Bimco’s Secretary General David Loosley who states in a report on the EU list: “The capacity required for the large EU-flagged fleet simply isn’t there, which is especially evident when it comes to recycling Panamax-size and larger ships in accordance with the EU regulation.”

    Limited EU capacity

    The current EU list of 41 recycling facilities comprises mainly European yards, most of which are limited in terms of length and draft of the vessels they can handle and are also primarily engaged in more profitable offshore/military decommissioning or repair and conversion work.

    Several Turkish yards on the list offer only limited additional capacity as they are busy with recycling non-EU-flagged cruise ships, according to Bimco.

    In addition, Bimco says “prices for steel at European yards are not competitive and commercially unviable”.

    The ECSA states in a position paper on the WSR proposal that yards on the EU list “cover only a fraction of the capacity needed to recycle all end-of-life EU-flagged vessels worldwide".

    It is calling for the adoption of the amendment to promote progress on recycling in third countries, level up standards and improve working and environmental conditions in these countries - a key objective of the EUSRR - that could also lead to them ratifying the HKC.

    Bhargava says that, due to the lack of EU-compliant recycling capability, owners of larger EU-flagged vessels are often left with no alternative than to have these reflagged so they can be sent to South Asian yards that have the required capacity.

    Environmental risk mitigation

    On-site supervision and monitoring of the recycling process by an independent third party with the requisite expertise are therefore essential to enforce regulatory requirements and ensure documented compliance for the shipowner, regardless of location, according to Bhargava.

    Sea Sentinels provides supervision on the ground with an expert team monitoring every step of the recycling process to achieve compliance with both the EUSRR and HKC, as well as a mandatory inventory of hazardous materials in line with the Basel Convention.

    As a result, the company boasts a track record of zero accidents and zero pollution on numerous sustainable recycling projects carried out at yards in India and Turkey.


2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
09:58 QatarEnergy enters time charter agreements with Nakilat for the operation of 25 LNG vessels

2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market
13:07 First LNG powered vessel calls at HIP
12:49 Inter-array cable installation completed at Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm
11:32 Equinor ASA posts net income at USD 11.9 billion in 2023
09:25 Edda Wind announces the sale of Edda Passat