The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (the Hong Kong Convention) is set to enter into force within 24 months, after Bangladesh and Liberia became Contracting States to the Convention, according to IMO's release.
The Hong Kong Convention is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risks to human health, safety and to the environment.
The Hong Kong Convention will enter into force 24 months after the following required criteria have been met:
not less than 15 States;
not less than 40% of the world's merchant shipping by gross tonnage; and
ship recycling capacity of not less than 3% of the gross tonnage of the combined merchant shipping of those States mentioned above.
These conditions have now been met. The Hong Kong Convention will enter into force on 26 June 2025.
Bangladesh is one of the world's largest ship recycling countries by capacity. Liberia is one of the world's largest flag States by tonnage.
The Hong Kong Convention was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong, China, in 2009. It is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risks to human health, safety and to the environment. It embraces the "cradle to grave" concept, addressing all environmental and safety aspects relating to ship recycling, including the responsible management and disposal of associated waste streams in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
The Convention places responsibilities and obligations on all parties concerned – including shipowners, ship building yards, ship recycling facilities, flag States, port States, recycling States.
Upon entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention, ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry onboard an Inventory of Hazardous Materials. Ship recycling facilities authorized by Competent Authorities will be required to provide a Ship Recycling Plan, specific to each individual vessel to be recycled. Additionally, Governments will be required to ensure that recycling facilities under their jurisdiction comply with the Convention.
The Hong Kong Convention now has the following contracting parties: Bangladesh, Belgium, Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malta, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Serbia, Spain, Türkiye.
The 22 Contracting States to the Convention represent approximately 45.81% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping. The combined annual ship recycling volume of the Contracting States during the preceding 10 years amounts to 23,848,453 gross tonnage, equivalent to 3.31% of the required recycling volume.
Bangladesh's accession comes after a High-Level Roundtable meeting (23 May at IMO Headquarters) launching Phase III of the IMO-implemented project on Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling in Bangladesh (SENSREC). The meeting discussed ratification of the Hong Kong Convention and took stock of the achievements of the project and key stakeholders' contributions. Participants confirmed the significant role that the project and its legacy has played in prompting the Government of Bangladesh to accede to the Convention.
IMO's SENSREC Project has been enhancing safe and environmentally sound ship recycling in Bangladesh with specific legal-policy support. Its targeted capacity building and involvement of key stakeholders has been instrumental in catalyzing the accession process by Bangladesh. The Project has been funded by Norway in three phases, to the tune of approximately US$4 million since 2015.
The SENSREC project has worked with key implementing partners, the Ministry of Industries, and the Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA), to cultivate a strong sense of ownership in greening ship recycling in Bangladesh. Through close collaboration on project activities, the project has also engaged on the ground in Bangladesh with workers, yard owners, and stakeholders, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the industry.
During phase II of SENSREC, an institutional and legal roadmap towards ratification was established, and 900 shipyard workers, skilled professionals and other key stakeholders were trained. The remaining activities under Phase II focus on gender awareness in the ship recycling industry, including the holding of a workshop in June 2023 in Chittagong to discuss recommended actions on the economic participation of women in the ship recycling industry.
SENSREC Phase III is planned to provide further support to Bangladesh for compliance with the Convention, by focusing on technical assistance towards the establishment of Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facilities, as well as analysis of further investment needs required for the yards.