The Netherlands has signed up to the IMO’s ship recycling convention almost exactly a decade after it was first agreed in Hong Kong.
Eight countries have now ratified the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention).
TradeWinds is marking the tenth anniversary of the Hong Kong Convention with a ship recycling conference in Hong Kong this week.
The Netherlands commitment to global regulation will be welcomed among shipowners. It has been proactive in enforcing regional European regulation but shipowners argue there should be a fair global regulation in place.
In the last two years the Netherlands has prosecuted two Dutch shipowners, Seatrade and Holland Maas, for breaching European Union regulations on the export of hazardous waste by sending ships for demolition at beaching yards in South Asia.
However the Hong Kong Convention still needs a lot more backing before it can enter into force.
A total of 15 countries representing 40% of the world fleet plus countries representing a significant proportion of shipbreaking capacity must sign up before the convention can be enforced globally.
