Hong Kong Convention

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The Hong Kong Convention ("Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009", abbreviated HKC ) is an agreement for worldwide improvements for environmentally friendly recycling of ships and for working conditions in the demolition yards and demolition companies. It was adopted in May 2009 by the member states of the IMO ( International Maritime Organization ) at a diplomatic conference in Hong Kong .

Come into effect

The HKC comes into effect two years after the following criteria have been met:

  • min. 15 states must ratify it,
  • which at least 40% of world trade tonnage and
  • represent no less than 3% recycling capacity (based on the throughput of the last ten years based on 40% of world trade tonnage).

Based on world shipping data from 2012, this means:

  • 15 states,
  • the at least 432.5 million gross tons (GT, corresponds to the gross tonnage GT) and
  • Represent recycling capacity of 12.97 million GT;

The recycling capacity of the top recyclers is currently as follows:

  • India = 12.2 m GT (m = mio = million)
  • Bangladesh = 8.8 m GT
  • China = 8.2 m GT
  • Pakistan = 5.5 m GT
  • Turkey = 1.5 m GT.

Ratification by India and Turkey would be enough. By March 20, 2018, six countries had ratified the convention.

content

The core requirements of the Hong Kong Convention are:

  1. Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) with different approaches for new and existing ships,
  2. IHM certificate (International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials, ICIHM) issued by the flag state of the respective ship; valid for a maximum of 5 years
  3. Ship Recycling Facility Plan (SRFP), description of the processes and management systems to ensure safety, occupational safety and environmental protection in the Ship Recycling Facility (SRF)
  4. Operating license (Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling, DASR), issued by the recycling state (Competent Authority), valid for a maximum of 5 years
  5. Ship recycling plan (SRP), which describes the dismantling of a ship in a specific SRF, including the SRFP (3rd) and IHM (1st), can be generally, tacitly, or explicitly approved by the Competent Authority
  6. Certificate that a ship is ready for recycling (International Ready for Recycling Certificate, IRRC) issued by the flag state after the final survey, taking into account the IHM and SRP

Requirements relating to the entire life cycle (“cradle to grave”) of ships have been drawn up. From shipbuilding (shipyards) including the supplier industry to ship operation (shipping companies) to ship recyclers (recycling yards) and their disposal companies as well as superordinate control bodies (flag, port and recycling states, or their commissioned monitoring organizations such as classification societies and port state control).

The HKC applies to new builds as well as to the fleet in service with more than 500 GT (comparable to GT - gross tonnage). This means that around 50,000 ships fall under the scope. The core of the Hong Kong Convention is the creation of a pollutant list in which toxic substances such as asbestos , PCB , ozone- depleting substances and TBT- containing ship paints must be recorded. The list is intended to facilitate the safe and environmentally friendly recycling of ships.

Introduction in the European Union

The HKC cannot be expected to come into force internationally in the next few years due to insufficient ratifications by states. At the EU level, the “REGULATION (EU) No 1257/2013 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on ship recycling ...” came into force on December 31, 2013. This applies under the following conditions:

  • not before December 31, 2015, [obsolete] or
  • 6 months after the EU-accepted recycling capacity is more than 2.5 million LDT (Light Displacement Tonnes),
  • no later than December 31, 2018 [obsolete]

Wrecking yards (SRFs), including those outside the EU, can apply for inclusion in the EU list from December 31, 2014. EU-flagged ships may only be scrapped in EU-listed shipyards after the EU list appears.

The following IHM deadlines apply to ships over 500 GT:

  • "Recycling ships" have to go on their last voyage with a certified IHM from the end of 2016 [obsolete]
  • New buildings must be equipped with a certified IHM from the end of 2015 [obsolete]
  • Existing ships flying the EU flag and ships calling at the EU (regardless of which flag is flying) must present a certified IHM by December 31, 2020 at the latest.

Approx. 30,000 ships are affected by the EU regulation; In the period up to the end of the deadline, around 20 ships per day must be equipped with a certified IHM.

On March 13, 2014, the European Parliament confirmed with a large majority (439 votes in favor, 41 against) that it would like the HKC to be ratified quickly by the EU member states and thus enable the HKC to provide binding guidelines at an international level earlier. Now the European Council can officially call on the EU member states to put the global regulations on ship recycling into force.

The Association of German Shipowners welcomed this; he sees the HKC as "the only sharp sword for more work safety and the protection of the environment in ship recycling" and as an "important step towards creating binding rules not only for Europe but for all recycling locations worldwide."

Web links

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ Status of conventions. International Maritime Organization, March 20, 2018, accessed April 15, 2018 .
  2. ↑ www.imo.org: Recycling of ships
  3. ↑ VDR press release of March 13, 2014