The Covid-19 pandemic is leaving owners in danger of not complying with new European Union scrapping regulations, Bimco has warned.
The shipowners organisation said companies may not be able to finalise their inventory of hazardous materials (IHM) survey in time.
They will then be in breach of the new European Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR).
The new rules require that all vessels of more than 500 gt have to comply from 31 December, if they are visiting EU or European Economic Area (EEA) ports. All EU-flagged ships will also need to meet the rules, regardless of ports of call.
In May, Bimco asked its members if the coronavirus outbreak had presented challenges in this regard.
Responses showed that 137 or 58% of the 236 ships operated by the companies who answered would be affected by the new regulations.
Of the affected vessels, 33 or 24% had completed the process, while the rest were at various stages of compliance.
The IHM process of almost all the respondents had been affected by the pandemic.
Bimco and other shipping bodies have now written to the European Commission, outlining the problem.
More time needed
They are asking for a grace period for compliance during the crisis.
"If the 31 December 2020 deadline cannot be met, Bimco recommends the development of IHMs on the oldest ships first," Bimco said.
"Old ships are in general more likely to be recycled and such a risk-based planning will demonstrate how shipowners are working proactively in accordance with the spirit of the new EU regulation."
In March, TradeWinds reported that shipowners were racing against the clock to put up to 20,000 ships through IHM inspections - and they risked serving time in prison if they could not do this.
France said shipowners could face a €100,000 ($107,000) fine or imprisonment.
The UK did not specify a financial penalty but said those that break the law could face up to two years in prison.
A penal sentence looks a severe and unlikely outcome — especially with the mitigating circumstances of coronavirus — but EU states are taking the SRR seriously, TradeWinds is told.
