The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has announced that the Hong Kong International Convention on Safe & Sustainable Ship Recycling will come into force in 24 months’ time.
The go-ahead for the legislation adopted on 15th May 2009, but not yet in force due to the lack of consensus from a sufficient number of major flag and recycling states (at least 15, representing 40% of the world’s merchant shipping fleet), came just a few days ago thanks to Bangladesh and Liberia endorsing it.
With the conditions met, the Convention is due to come into force on 26th June 2025.
The document is of strategic importance because it concerns ship recycling facilities being operated in a safe and environmentally sound manner and provides for the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism.
Translation by Giles Foster
