Deadline for new EU ship recycling

Ship recycling

DEADLINE FOR NEW EU REGULATION APPROACHES

NEW EUROPEAN SHIP RECYCLING REGULATIONS ENTER INTO FORCE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR – BUT THE CURRENT TOUGH MARKET conditions, compounded by the delay in decision making caused by the coronavirus pandemic, have resulted in many shipowners postponing the necessary steps to compliance.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF CTI MARINE SERVICES EU regulation The European Union pursues an ambitious policy to make ship recycling greener and safer. The EU ship recycling regulation (EUsRR), adopted in 2013 by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, aims to reduce the negative impacts linked to the recycling of ships flying EU member state flags. European ship owners own 35% of the world fleet. A vast majority of large vessels are currently dismantled in Southern Asia, under harmful conditions for workers’ health and the environment. The EU regulation lays down requirements to which vessels and recycling facilities must adhere. These requirements aim to prevent or minimise accidents, injuries and other negative effects on human health and the environment during ship recycling and while removing the hazardous waste they contain. They also mandate specific training and protective equipment for employees dismantling the vessels and require a record to be kept of any incidents or accidents. Before a ship is recycled, its owner must provide the company carrying out the work with specific information about the vessel and prepare a ship recycling plan. This, for instance, identifies the type and amount of hazardous materials and waste that will be generated from the obsolete vessel. From 31 December 2020, the EUsRR applies not only to all existing ships sailing under

Responsible ship recycling.

Current estimates indicate that of the expected 20,000 ships which will need to comply with the EUsRR before 31 December 2020, more than a third have yet to start on the road to compliance.

the flag of Member States of the EU, but also to ships flying a third country flag that call at an EU port or anchorage. The only exceptions are warships, other vessels on non-commercial government service and ships below 500GT.

Inventory of hazardous materials The EU ship recycling regulation prohibits or restricts the installation and use of hazardous materials, such as asbestos or ozone-depleting substances, on board vessels. Moreover, the regulation stipulates that all ships over 500GT which call at EU ports, must provide a Statement of Compliance (SoC) demonstrating that they have an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) on board, providing insight into the hazardous materials (such as lead, mercury or asbestos) they contain in either the vessel’s structure or equipment, verified by the relevant administration or authority and specifying the location and approximate quantities of the materials. Current estimates indicate that of the expected 20,000 ships which will need to comply with the EUsRR before 31 December 2020, more than a third have yet to start on the road to compliance. Obtaining an IHM for a vessel requires an expert company to sample the ship for hazardous materials. A ‘mini-industry’ of individuals and small expert companies has emerged, offering IHM services. For shipowners, the challenge is how to carry out adequate due diligence to find a suitable IHM company, while meeting the required deadline at the end of the year.

Centre Testing International One of the companies that has considerable experience in the field, is Centre Testing International (CTI). Experts in the

Professional hazmat sampling being undertaken by CTI Marine Services.

supervision of ship recycling, the company specialises in surveying and removing asbestos from ships, as well as assisting shipowners with IHM preparations. Over the years, CTI has undertaken numerous projects for major shipowners. For one of them, CMA CGM, CTI provided a ‘one-stop shop’, carrying out a full range of essential services, including newbuilding surveys, targeted sampling during docking periods, removal of asbestos, IHM preparation, ship recycling supervision and asbestos management audits of suppliers.

Best practice guidance In November 2016, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA), has published a Best Practice Guidance on the Inventory of Hazardous Materials for practitioners on the field, ship owners and national authorities. EU Member States’ port authorities will control ships to verify whether they have on board a ready-for-recycling certificate or a valid IHM.

i. cti-ship.com

Seven new yards on EU ship recycling list

The EU Ship Recycling Regulation that came into force 31 December 2018 requires all large seagoing vessels sailing under an EU Member State flag to use an approved facility included on the European list of ship recycling facilities. At the end of January 2020, the sixth version of this list was published, with the addition of seven new yards; four European yards (one each in Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Norway), and three in Turkey. The facilities, located both in the EU and in non-EU countries, comply with a series of requirements related to workers’ safety and environmental protection. The updated list contains 41 yards, representing a total available annual recycling capacity of nearly 2.85Mi Light Displacement Tonnes (LDT). Several yards on the list are also capable of recycling large vessels.