- Convention Applies to Ships 500 GT and Above on International Voyages.
- New Ships Must Have an Approved Hazardous Materials Inventory at Delivery.
- Existing Ships Required to Maintain Hazardous Materials Inventory by 2030.
The 2009 IMO Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKSRC) is set to officially kick off on June 26, 2025. This Convention is all about making sure that ship recycling happens in a safe, eco-friendly, and responsible way. All ships that are registered under a country that’s a party to the Convention, as well as ship recycling facilities in those countries, need to follow its rules, reports LR.
Scope and Applicability
The HKSRC covers both new and existing ships that weigh 500 gross tonnage (GT) or more and are involved in international travel. This includes:
- Submersibles
- Floating craft
- Floating platforms
- Self-elevating platforms
- Floating Storage Units (FSUs)
- Floating Production Storage and Offloading Units (FPSOs)
- Vessels that have been stripped of equipment or are being towed
Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM)
- New ships must carry an approved IHM at delivery and hold a valid HKSRC certification.
A new ship is defined as a ship for which the building contract is placed on or after 26 June 2025; or in the absence of a contract, the keel is laid or a similar construction stage is reached on or after 26 December 2025; or delivered on or after 26 December 2027. - Existing ships must comply with IHM requirements by 26 June 2030, and maintain an updated IHM throughout their operational life with valid HKSRC certification.
Final Survey and Certification
When it comes to recycling ships, there’s a crucial step called the Final Survey, which must be completed before any recycling can kick off. This survey is essential for obtaining an International Ready for Recycling Certificate.
Ship Recycling Facilities
Now, to recycle a ship, the facilities that handle this process need to be properly authorised. They must possess a valid Document of Authorisation for Ship Recycling (DASR) to operate legally.
Interplay with the Basel Convention
Starting from June 26, 2025, two significant global regulations will play a key role in ship recycling:
1. HKSRC (2009)
2. Basel Convention
The Basel Convention is particularly important as it oversees the cross-border movement of hazardous waste. It mandates that the importing country must give prior informed consent. So, even if a ship meets the HKSRC standards, it could still run afoul of Basel rules if it’s sent for recycling to a non-OECD country. This situation creates a bit of a legal conundrum regarding which regulation takes priority. We need some clarification to sort out this overlap and ensure compliance throughout the ship recycling process.
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Source: LR
