News & Events

Japan Accedes to HKC--International Seminar on Ship Recycling will be Held at IMO Headquarters in May

Apr 1, 2019 1:29:00 PM

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (Hong Kong Convention) adopted by IMO has received another boost with the acceding of Japan. According to the latest IMO official report, on 27^thMarch, 2019 in London, H.E. Mr. Koji Tsuruoka, Ambassador of Japan to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative of Japan to IMO, met IMO Secretary-General Mr. Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters, London to deposit the instrument of accession. Therefore, Japan has become the 10th country to become a Party to the Hong Kong Convention. Previously, Belgium, Denmark, the Republic of the Congo, France, Norway, Panama, Turkey, the Netherlands and the Republic of Serbia have become the contracting states.

Under the treaty, all new ships and existing ships are required to carry on board an Inventory of Hazardous Materials, which should also be properly maintained and updated throughout the operational life of the ship. Ship Recycling Facility(ies)with valid Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling(DASR) are required to provide a detailed "Ship Recycling Plan"( SRP), depending on its particulars and its inventory. Report of Planned Start of Ship Recycling (RPSSR) and Statement of Completion of Ship Recycling (SCSR) shall be submitted by Ship Recycling Facility(ies) before and after the planned start and partial or completed Ship Recycling.

The Hong Kong Convention will come into force 24 months after the following conditions are met: 1. not less than 15 States haveratified this Convention, 2. the combined merchant fleets of the States Parties constitute not less than 40 percent of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping, and 3. the combined maximum annual ship recycling volume of the States Parties during the preceding 10 years constitutes not less than 3% of the gross tonnage of the combined merchant shipping of the States Parties. The above 10 contracting states represent approximately 23.16% of the gross tonnage of the world's merchant shipping. The combined annual ship recycling volume of the Contracting States during the preceding 10 years is 1,709,955 GT, i.e. 0.57% of the merchant shipping tonnage of the same States. It thus appears that the there is still a long way to go before the final implementation of the Convention.

However, from the point of long-term development, the entry of Japan undoubtedly brings to the whole industry good news. To help increase international awareness of the importance of the early entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) of Japan in cooperation with the IMO Secretariat is hosting an international seminar on "Ship Recycling · Towards the Early Entry into Force of the Hong Kong Convention", which will be held on 10 May 2019 at IMO Headquarters in London.The seminar will discuss how to promote sustainable ship recycling and the way to move forward for the early entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention.

The Seminar will have two main sessions as follows: 1. Efforts to comply with and promote the entry into force of the HKC in the industry and 2. Ship Recycling Policies: Efforts towards the ratification of the HKC. It will have valuable inputs from the viewpoints of leaders of the respective industries and policymakers.This year is the 10th anniversary of the Hong Kong Convention, and the hold of Seminar shows the high expectation for the early entry into force of the HKC. Sharing the latest updates of the industry, the current situation and future prospective for the ratification of major maritime countries through the Seminar, a better awareness and understanding of the HKC will be come into being.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:：

Mr. Kitack Lim, Secretary General, IMO

Mr. Guy Platten, Secretary General, ICS

Mr. Martin Dorsman, Secretary General, ECSA

Capt. Ang Chin Eng, Secretary General, ASA

Mr. Tim Wilkins, Environment Director, INTERTANKO

Mr. ReinoudPijpers, Director, ISRA

Mr. Nitin Kanakiya, Secretary, SRIA, India

Mr. Chintan Kalthia, Director, R.L.Kalthia Ship Breaking

Mr. Junichi Hirata, General Manager, Class NK

Mr. Kan Matsuzaki, Director, IndustriALL

Mr. Shin Imai, Director for International Negotiations Office, Ocean Development and Environment Policy Division, Maritime Bureau, MLIT, Japan