BIMCO, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Shipowners I ECSA, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), INTERCARGO, INTERFERRY, INTERTANKO, and the World Shipping Council (WSC) call on EU Member States to deliver a positive opinion on the European Commission's proposal to add two Indian ship recycling facilities to the updated European List of Ship Recycling Facilities.
This proposed inclusion of the two Indian yards reflects years of substantial investment and effort, following the adoption of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) in 2009. Inclusion on the European List should be determined solely on whether a facility meets the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) safety and environmental requirements, based on objective assessment and inspection. The yards concerned have made considerable capital investments to upgrade their infrastructure, safety systems, and environmental management to meet the HKC and EU SRR standards. These efforts embody the very purpose of the EUSRR: to reduce disparities between operators in the EU, in OECD and in relevant third countries in terms of workplace health and safety and environmental standards, in support of the globally applicable Convention.
In every previous edition of the European List, Member States have endorsed the requirements set out in the EU SRR and its Technical Guidance Note. The two Indian yards meet those same requirements, as demonstrated in the inspection reports (publicly available). Declining to approve facilities that objectively meet the standards Member States have themselves agreed would be inconsistent and would undermine the recognition and credibility of the EU's own legislation. (....)