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Ship recycling: New certificate formats to reduce administrative burden

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Ship owners who wish to have their vessels recycled will now be able to fulfil their legal obligations using a single administrative form.

The European Commission has on 19 January adopted new formats for the certificates used to list all hazardous material present on board a vessel and to confirm that a ship is ready for recycling.

The update will enable ship owners to fulfil their obligations under both the EU's Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention with a single certificate, thereby reducing administrative burden without lowering the EU requirements. 

Background

European ship owners possess around 30% of the world's fleet in terms of tonnage. However, many ships are dismantled outside the EU, mainly in South Asia, under conditions that are often harmful to workers' health and the environment. 

The EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation was adopted in 2013 to provide a regulatory framework for the recycling of large seagoing vessels sailing under an EU Member State flag.   

The Regulation includes: 

  • Requirements for ships and recycling facilities;
  • Limits and prohibitions on the installation and use of hazardous materials on ships (i.e. asbestos);
  • The European List of compliant ship recycling facilities located in the EU and the rest of the world.   

The Hong Kong Convention, which entered into force in June 2025, establishes international standards for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, although these standards are less stringent than those outlined in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation in certain areas.

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As part of the experience-building phase set by the International Maritime Organisation, the Commission will contribute to the assessment of the Convention’s implementation and to its improvement towards stricter global standards. 

More information

Commission Implementing Decision on the format of the certificate on the inventory of hazardous materials | European Commission

Commission Implementing Decision on the format of the ready for recycling certificate | European Commission

Evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation | Publications Office of the EU

14th edition of the European List of ship recycling facilities | EUR-Lex

Ship Recycling | European Commission

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