Getting on board with ship recycling

Zhousan Changhong International Ship Recycling Co Ltd and Jiang Xiagang Changjiang Shiprecycling Yard have a joint capacity for 120 vessels and are the largest ship recycling facilities in the world.

The application to the EU follows the European Commission Ship Recycling Regulation being adopted in November 2013. Apparently the yards realise that sufficient green recycling capacity is no longer subject to discussion but must become a reality in order to do business globally.

Mr Li Hongwei, Zhousan Changhong International Ship Recycling, said: “We welcome the initiative of the European Union and invite them to audit and inspect our yards at any given time. We are pleased to improve and invest further to achieve the highest level required.”

These are the first two yards outside Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries to apply for EU approval.

Netherlands based ship recycling consultancy, Sea2Cradle has assisted in a number of leading ship owners to recycle their vessels at the facilities in China. It works in collaboration with Lloyd’s Register to provide the maritime industry with experience and expertise in the field of safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships and floating structures.

Although, the process towards publication of the EU list is still ongoing, it is expected more members of the International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA), including some yards in Turkey, will also follow the application process.