The Hong Kong Convention is strongly influencing recycling practices, even though it has still not been ratified, according to panellists at TradeWinds Recycling Forum 2021.

Henning Gramann, managing director of recycling consultancy GSR Services, said that since the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships was agreed in 2014, there have been “vast improvements and huge investments” in shipbreaking facilities.

“Without any doubt, it is the key standard and key driver,” he said of the convention.

Around 100 facilities are estimated to have received a statement of compliance with Hong Kong Convention standards so far.

Although the Hong Kong Convention has yet to enter into force, International Maritime Organization technical officer Jun Sun said this is “not abnormal” given the average time to ratify international shipping conventions.

Legally committed

Mizanur Rahman, Bangladesh Ministry of Industries deputy secretary, said that the country is legally committed to ratifying the convention by 2023.

He said 88 of the country’s recycling facilities have drawn up a ship recycling plan in line with the convention’s requirements. India ratified the convention in 2019.

Japanese embassy first secretary Kazuya Nakao said it would only take China to ratify the convention for it to enter into force “immediately”.

Nakao said: “Japan hopes China will show its initiative and leadership and ratify the Hong Kong Convention as soon as possible.”

He said that decarbonisation regulation would soon increase demand for recycling.

However, Ingvild Jenssen, founder and managing director of NGO Shipbreaking Platform, said that the Hong Kong Convention represents a low standard. She said many other shipping stakeholders are frustrated with the regulation and are setting their own even higher standards.

Not good enough

She pointed to the development of the Ship Recycling Regulation in the European Union, and industry-led green recycling and waste management initiatives, that have tougher requirements.

She likened the Hong Kong Convention to the IMO’s decarbonisation regulation, which had been widely criticised by industry and environmental stakeholders as “not good enough”.

Jenssen said that if the Hong Kong Convention is ratified and entered into force, the EU had a mandate to push for even higher standards at the IMO.

GSR Services Gramann said that while the Hong Kong Convention had taken hold there are still wide differences in the way it is implemented and interpreted by ship breakers.

He added that the investment by some yards in improving facilities had not been met by demand from shipowners for green facilities.

“The yards that have invested heavily need to be appreciated and supported,” he said.