On Monday 19 January, the European Commission adopted a decision on new formats for the certificates used to identify all the hazardous materials on board a ship and to confirm that it is ready for recycling.
This update will enable shipowners to meet the requirements of both the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and the Hong Kong Convention with a single certificate, reducing the administrative burden without lowering European requirements.
The Hong Kong Convention, which came into force in June 2025, sets international standards for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling, although in some areas these standards are less stringent than those set out in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation.
European shipowners own around 30% of the world fleet by tonnage. However, many ships are dismantled outside the EU, mainly in South Asia, under conditions that are often harmful to workers’ health and the environment.
The EU Ship Recycling Regulation was adopted in 2013.
Further details: https://aeur.eu/f/kb7 (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)