The European Commission has published its proposal for the 16th edition of the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities, a move the World Shipping Council said strengthens a performance-based approach to responsible ship recycling. The European List, established under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013), determines which facilities are authorized to recycle EU-flagged vessels and is a central compliance mechanism for European shipowners managing end-of-life fleet disposal.

According to the WSC, the proposal represents an important step toward a ship recycling framework centered on demonstrated environmental performance, worker safety, technical competence and effective governance. The organization said the addition of more facilities that have met the European Union's requirements supports the principle that ship recycling decisions should be based on proven standards and operational performance, rather than on geographic location alone. This performance-based approach has been a subject of long-standing industry debate, as South Asian yards in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan collectively handle the majority of the world's ship recycling by tonnage but have faced sustained scrutiny over environmental practices and worker safety conditions associated with beaching methods.

“We welcome the updated European List of Ship Recycling Facilities because it reflects a practical and performance-based approach to sustainable ship recycling,” said Simon Bergulf, Vice President, Environment and Climate at the World Shipping Council (WSC).

For the first time, the Commission's proposal includes two ship recycling facilities in India after an assessment under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. According to the Commission, the two facilities have demonstrated compliance with the requirements set out in Article 13 of the Regulation and therefore qualify for inclusion on the European List. The proposed inclusion comes as India's ship recycling sector, centered on the Alang-Sosiya yard in Gujarat, has undergone significant upgrades in recent years to align with international standards, including the IMO's Hong Kong Convention, which enters into force on 26 June 2025.

“These yards have invested heavily to address the findings and recommendations arising from European Commission inspections, demonstrating a clear commitment to meeting the EU's stringent standards. Their inclusion would mark an important milestone, showing that one of the world's principal ship recycling regions can successfully comply with the requirements of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. We hope these facilities will act as trailblazers, encouraging other yards in the region to follow the same path.”

Bergulf said liner shipping companies remain committed to responsible ship recycling, while noting that only a limited number of facilities worldwide have the capability and capacity to recycle large ocean-going vessels.

“Liner shipping companies are committed to recycling ships responsibly. For large ocean-going vessels, there are only a limited number of facilities worldwide with the capability and capacity to undertake this work. The Commission's proposal helps expand the availability of approved recycling capacity while maintaining the high standards that the Regulation is intended to achieve,” concludes Simon Bergulf.

The WSC said it has consistently supported policies that promote safe and environmentally sound ship recycling. It also said the European List should continue to be based on transparent, objective and verifiable criteria.

The organization encouraged EU Member States to approve the Commission's proposal and continue supporting a regulatory framework that rewards high standards, promotes responsible ship recycling, and helps deliver improved environmental and worker safety outcomes globally.

Source: World Shipping Council