Ship Recycling
An important part of a ship’s lifecycle is being recycled once it has been decommissioned from service. We advocate for robust ship recycling standards through international conventions to ensure its safety and sustainability.
What is ship recycling?
Ships have an average life of 20 - 30 years and are decommissioned once they are no longer needed or replaced by more efficient ships. Once they are decommissioned from service, they are recycled.
Ship recycling is the process of dismantling an old or decommissioned ship to recover and reuse its materials, such as steel, aluminium, and other components.
It is important we have robust standards for ship recycling to ensure its safety and sustainability. International conventions are in place that aim to ensure safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.
Photo by: Nayeem Noor, CC BY-SA 4.0
Why it matters
Ship recycling is a crucial part of the maritime industry. It reduces the environmental impact of decommissioned ships by ensuring that they are dismantled and recycled in a safe and sustainable way. This process not only prevents hazardous materials from polluting the environment but also allows for the recovery and reuse of valuable materials. Access to recycling that is safe and environmentally sound is an important factor in fleet modernization and the green-energy transition.
Shipping needs more recycling capacity with robust standards
Due to supply chain pressures over the past years, there has been a high demand for vessel capacity, and shipowners have delayed recycling. As a result, there is a backlog of ships ready for recycling. Currently, there is not enough capacity to handle the recycling demands anticipated over the coming years.
Increasing the number and geographic diversity of recycling facilities can improve the efficiency of ship recycling processes. As the Hong Kong Convention comes up for review, the shipping industry wants to see revisions that bring the international convention up to a higher standard when it comes to safety and sustainability.
Our position on EU ship recycling policies
Read our submission to the European Commission's Public Consultation on "Ship recycling – European list of ship recycling facilities (14th edition)
We support the EU’s leadership in ship recycling and urge a global approach.
The EU must urgently expand the approved facilities list to include high-standard global yards, ensuring capacity for larger vessels. WSC advocates for transparent auditing for all yards, including those in the EU, and the implementation of uniform auditing standards for recycling facilities globally. This will promote transparency, uniformity, and the development of a global standard for ship recycling auditing.
We want to work with the EU to strengthen international standards and integrate best practices that promote responsible ship recycling globally.