The Hong Kong International Convention
for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, was adopted in
May 2009.
It is aimed at ensuring that ships,
when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not
pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety or to the environment.
The Convention was adopted at a
diplomatic conference held in Hong
Kong , China
The new Convention intends to address
all the issues around ship recycling, including the fact that ships sold for
scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances such as asbestos,
heavy metals, hydrocarbons, ozone-depleting substances and others. It will
address concerns raised about the working and environmental conditions at many
of the world's ship recycling locations.
The text of the ship recycling
Convention has been developed over the past three years, with input from IMO Member
States
Regulations in the new Convention
cover:
- 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.
Ships to be sent for recycling will be
required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, which will be specific
to each ship. An appendix to the Convention will provide a list of hazardous
materials the installation or use of which is prohibited or restricted in
shipyards, ship repair yards, and ships of Parties to the Convention. Ships
will be required to have an initial survey to verify the inventory of hazardous
materials, additional surveys during the life of the ship, and a final survey
prior to recycling.
Ship recycling yards will be required
to provide a "Ship Recycling Plan", to specify the manner in which
each ship will be recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory.
Parties will be required to take effective measures to ensure that ship
recycling facilities under their jurisdiction comply with the Convention.
A series of guidelines are being
developed to assist in the Convention's implementation.
Entry into force criteria:
The Convention shall be open for
signature by any State at the Headquarters of the Organization from 1 September
2009 to 31 August 2010 and shall thereafter remain open for accession by any
State.
It will enter into force 24 months
after the date on which 15 States, representing 40% of world merchant shipping
by gross tonnage, have either signed it without reservation as to ratification,
acceptance or approval or have deposited instruments of ratification,
acceptance, approval or accession with the Secretary General.
Furthermore, the combined maximum annual
ship recycling volume of those States must, during the preceding 10 years,
constitute not less than 3% of their combined merchant shipping tonnage.
Resolutions adopted by the conference:
The conference also adopted 6resolutions
as follows:
Resolution
1:
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Expression of
appreciation to the host Government;
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Resolution
2:
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Contribution
of the Parties to the Basel Convention and the International Labour
Organization in the development of the Hong Kong International Convention for
the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009;
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Resolution
3:
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Promotion of technical
co-operation and assistance;
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Resolution
4:
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Future
work by the Organization pertaining to the Hong Kong International Convention
for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009;
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Resolution
5:
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Early implementation of
the technical standards of the Hong Kong International Convention for the
Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009; and
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Resolution
6:
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Exploration
and monitoring of the best practices for fulfilling the requirements of the
Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound
Recycling of Ships, 2009.
|
Background:
IMO adopted Guidelines on Ship
Recycling at the 23rd Assembly in November-December 2003.
At its 53rd 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 55th 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 98th
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.
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 54th 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
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/licensed 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 5 Member States (Bangladesh,
Japan, Netherlands, Norway and the United States) to represent the Organization
in the 2nd 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.
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 first raised at the 44th
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 49th 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.
Co-operation with ILO and Basel
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
Source: International Maritime Organisation.
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