Shipbreaking: Updated list of European ship recycling facilities to include seven new yards

European ship owners own 35% of the world fleet. A large percentage of these is being dismantled under conditions which are often harmful to workers’ health and the environment. From 31 December 2018, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation requires all large sea-going vessels sailing under an EU Member State flag to use an approved ship recycling facility included in the European List. With the adoption of the updated List, the European Commission has taken an important step to help ensure that ships are recycled in facilities that are safe for workers and environmentally sound.

With the new update, the European List of ship recycling facilities currently contains 41 yards, representing a total available annual recycling capacity of nearly 2.85Mi Light Displacement Tonnes (LDT). Several yards on the European List are also capable to recycle large vessels.

The European List is regularly updated, to add more compliant facilities or to remove facilities which have ceased to comply. To be included in the European List, any ship recycling facility, irrespective of its location, has to comply with a number of safety and environmental requirements. For facilities located in the EU, it is for the competent national authorities in the concerned Member States to check that all the relevant conditions are met, and to then inform the Commission that the facility in question should be listed. Ship recycling facilities located in third countries and intending to recycle ships flying a flag of a Member State have to submit an application to the Commission for inclusion in the European List.