JAPANESE ratification of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships has been applauded by the Asian Shipowners’ Association.
The ASA has urged more countries in the global shipping industry to ratify the HKC, specifically India and China as they are closest to final enactment, and build geographically-balanced green recycling yards in the near future.
“Under the HKC, ships to be sent for recycling are required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, specific to each ship,” according to an ASA media release.
It is a widely accepted view that the Hong Kong International Convention is “the only internationally-recognized instrument that can achieve this objective (the building of green recycling yards)” as stated in the same media release.
HKC will require ship recycling yards to provide a “Ship Recycling Plan” specifying all geographically-balanced means in which each ship will be recycled.
A decade has passed since HKC’s adoption and the ASA is hopeful improvements in recycling facilities worldwide and the ratification of HKC, especially Japan, will expedite other countries’ actions in making HKC official.
