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Recycling of ships

IMO adopted Guidelines on Ship Recycling at the 23 rd Assembly in November -December

2003 .

The guidelines are recommendatory .

However , at its 53 rd session in July 2005 , the

Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC )
agreed that the IMO should develop , as a high
priority , a new instrument on recycling of ships with
a view to providing legally binding and globally
applicable ship recycling regulations for
international shipping and for recycling facilities .
MEPC 53 also agreed that the new IMO instrument
on ship recycling should include regulations for the
design , construction , operation and preparation of
ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally
sound recycling , without compromising the safety
and operational efficiency of ships ; the operation
of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner ; and the
establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling (certification /
reporting requirements ). MEPC 53 further agreed that the above -mentioned instrument
should be completed in time for its consideration and adoption in the biennium 2008 -
2009 .

The IMO Assembly in November -December 2005 subsequently agreed that IMO should
develop a new legally -binding instrument on ship recycling . The Assembly resolution
A.981 (24 ) New legally-binding instrument on Ship Recycling requests the Marine Environment
Protection Committee to develop a new instrument that would provide regulations for :

- the design , construction , operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe

and environmentally sound recycling , without compromising the safety and
operational efficiency of ships ;
- the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound
manner ; and
- the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling ,
incorporating certification and reporting requirements .

The aim is to complete the instrument in time for its consideration and adoption in the
2008 -2009 biennium . The resolution refers to the urgent need for IMO to contribute to
the development of an effective solution to the issue of ship recycling , which will
minimize , in the most effective , efficient and sustainable way, the environmental ,
occupational health and safety risks related to ship recycling , taking into account the
particular characteristics of world maritime transport and the need for securing the
smooth withdrawal of ships that have reached the end of their operating lives .

The Assembly also adopted amendments to the existing Guidelines on Ship Recycling ,
relating to the inventory of potentially hazardous materials present in a ship 's structure
and equipment and the Green Passport for ships .

MEPC 55 outcome

At the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC ) at its 55 th session in October

2006 , the MEPC Working Group on Ship Recycling further developed the text of the draft
Convention providing globally applicable ship recycling regulations for international
shipping and for recycling activities and it agreed to request the IMO Council , at its 98 th
session (in June 2007 ), to consider the allocation of a five -day international conference
in the 2008 -2009 biennium to adopt it.

It is intended that the Convention will provide regulations for :

• the design , construction , operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate

safe and environmentally sound recycling , without compromising the safety and
operational efficiency of ships ;
• the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound
manner ; and
• the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling ,
incorporating certification and reporting requirements .

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A correspondence group was established to continue developing the draft convention and
related guidelines and it was agreed to hold an intersessional meeting of the Ship
Recycling Working Group , ahead of the next MEPC session scheduled for July 2007 .

MEPC 54 outcome

At its 54 th session from 20 -24 March 2006 , the MEPC made progress in developing the
draft text of a mandatory instrument providing globally -applicable ship recycling
regulations for international shipping and for recycling activities . A Working Group on
Ship Recycling met during the session to work on the draft text and discuss related
issues . The proposed instrument would include articles and an annex with regulations for
safe and environmentally -sound recycling of ships , covering requirements for ships ,
requirements for ship recycling facilities and reporting requirements .

A work plan for the further development of the draft legally -binding instrument was
developed by the working group and agreed by the Committee . It would see the draft
further developed during 2006 -2007 with a view to completion in time for its
consideration and adoption in the 2008 -2009 biennium .

A correspondence group was established to carry out that task and to develop a
provisional list of necessary guidelines . It will report to the next session of MEPC in
October 2006 .

The MEPC also considered the report of the second session of the Joint International
Labour Organization (ILO )/IMO /Basel Convention Working Group on Ship Scrapping
which met in December 2005 in Geneva . The views of the group were taken into account
by the MEPC Working Group on Ship Recycling and it was noted that the Committee
would continue co operating with ILO and the Basel Convention on this subject .

MEPC 53 outcome

In its initial consideration of issues related to the development of mandatory

requirements on ship recycling , MEPC 53 considered the prohibition of the use of certain
hazardous materials in the construction and equipment of ships ; the design of ships and
ships ' equipment to facilitate recycling and removal of hazardous materials ; the
preparation , update and verification of inventories of potentially hazardous materials on
board ships ; the possible need for a survey and certification system , the development of
a reporting system for ships destined for recycling ; and the need for the recycling
facilities to be approved /licenced or properly regulated in accordance with internationally
developed and globally applied standards .

MEPC 53 also agreed that the development of a new legally -binding instrument on ship
recycling should not shift the attention of the stakeholders involved away from the
important work that is needed for the implementation of the IMO Guidelines on Ship
Recycling.

MEPC 53 also approved amendments to the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling (Assembly
resolution A.962 (23 )) which were subsequently adopted by Assembly resolution
A.980 (24 ) Amendments to the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling (Resolution A.962(23)).

The Committee also agreed an MEPC circular Implementation of the IMO Guidelines on Ship
Recycling - "Gas -free-for-hot-work" certification which urges recycling States to introduce
mandatory requirements on procedures to be followed regarding "gas -free -for -hot -work"
certification in ship recycling operations and to ensure that appropriate arrangements are
in place to monitor and enforce these requirements .

An MEPC circular on ship recycling was approved . It invites the ship recycling States to
make publicly available information about the point of contact for the competent
authorities responsible for issues related to ship recycling ; and Governments and all
involved stakeholders to provide information to the Organization on any experience
gained in the implementation of the IMO Guidelines .

MEPC 53 endorsed the recommendations agreed by the Joint ILO /IMO /BC Working
Group on Ship Scrapping , at its first meeting , regarding the work programme activities on
ship recycling , the promotion of the implementation of the ship recycling guidelines and
joint technical co-operation activities and nominated five Member States (Bangladesh ,
Japan , Netherlands , Norway and the United States ) to represent the Organization in the
second session of the Joint Working Group , which will be hosted by the Basel Convention
in Geneva in December 2005 .

Resolution A.962 (23 ) IMO Guidelines on ship recycling give advice to all stakeholders in
the recycling process , including administrations of ship building and maritime equipment
supplying countries , flag , port and recycling States , as well as intergovernmental
organizations and commercial bodies such as shipowners , ship builders , repairers and
recycling yards .

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The guidelines note that , in the process of recycling ships , virtually nothing goes to
waste . The materials and equipment are almost entirely reused . Steel is reprocessed to
become , for instance , reinforcing rods for use in the construction industry or as corner
castings and hinges for containers . Ships ' generators are reused ashore . Batteries find
their way into the local economy . Hydrocarbons on board become reclaimed oil products
to be used as fuel in rolling mills or brick kilns . Light fittings find further use on land .
Furthermore , new steel production from recycled steel requires only one third of the
energy used for steel production from raw materials . Recycling thus makes a positive
contribution to the global conservation of energy and resources and , in the process ,
employs a large , if predominantly unskilled , workforce . Properly handled , ship recycling
is , without question , a "green " industry .

However , the guidelines recognize that , although the principle of ship recycling may be
sound , the working practices and environmental standards in the yards often leave much
to be desired . While ultimate responsibility for conditions in the yards has to lie with the
countries in which they are situated , other stakeholders must be encouraged to
contribute towards minimising potential problems in the yards .

The concept of a "Green Passport " for ships is included in the guidelines . It is envisaged
that this document , containing an inventory of all materials potentially hazardous to
human health or the environment , used in the construction of a ship , would accompany
the ship throughout its working life . Produced by the shipyard at the construction stage
and passed to the purchaser of the vessel , the document would be in a format that
would enable any subsequent changes in materials or equipment to be recorded .
Successive owners of the ship would maintain the accuracy of the Green Passport and
incorporate into it all relevant design and equipment changes , with the final owner
delivering it, with the vessel , to the recycling yard .

In October 2004 , the MEPC approved the Guidelines for the development of the ship recycling
plan, which provide further technical information and guidance for the preparation of a
suitable ship recycling plan (SRP ), as recommended in section 8.3.2 of the IMO
Guidelines on Ship Recycling .

IMO ’s role in the recycling of ships , the terminology used to refer to ship scrapping , was
th
first raised at the 44 MEPC session in March 2000 following which correspondence group
was established to research this issue and provide a range of information about current
ship recycling practices and suggestions on the role of IMO . The guidelines were
developed by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC ) and finalized at the
MEPC 49 th session in July 2003 .

Ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances such as
asbestos , heavy metals , hydrocarbons , and ozone depleting substances and others .
Concerns have been raised about the working and environmental conditions at many of
the world's ship scrapping locations .

IMO continues to co-operate with the International Labour Organization and the relevant
bodies of the Basel Convention on ship recycling . The first Joint ILO /IMO /BC Working
Group on Ship Scrapping took place at IMO Headquarters in February 2005 , the second
in Geneva in December 2005 .

http://www.imo.org/Environment/mainframe.asp?topic_id=818 03/01/2007 11:19:08