Japan has begun the process of ratifying the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) in a major boost to attempts to bring the regulation into force globally.
The convention was one of eight pieces of legislation put before the Japanese parliament this week for consideration by the Ministry for Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
The process of bringing the regulation into national law is set to formally begin in March this year.
In the past, Japan has been accused of dragging its feet in ratifying maritime conventions, but it has long been a staunch supporter of the HKC.
The launch of its bid to ratify the HKC comes nearly nine years after the convention was first agreed by the IMO.
To enter into force, the HKC needs to be backed by 15 states representing 40% of the world fleet and by shiprecycling countries representing a proportion of global shipbreaking capacity.
So far among shiprecycling nations, only India and Turkey are in the process of bringing the HKC into law with China expected to follow.
Those three countries alone would likely represent enough shipbreaking capacity to bring the convention into force.
Japan is assisting in India’s bid to bring its yards up to the HKC's standard through a foreign aid scheme.
The HKC has been ratified in Belgium, Denmark, France, Congo, Norway and Panama.
