Although NGOs welcome the European Parliament’s vote in favour of the new EU Ship Recycling Regulation that bans the breaking of EU ships on beaches, they deem a financial incentive necessary to ensure effective implementation.
By the new Regulation ships registered under the flag of an EU Member State are only allowed to be dismantled ships in facilities that meet the requirements of the Regulation and that are listed by the European Commission. It will also demand Inventories of Hazardous Materials for all ships visiting European ports.
Financial Incentive
The NGO coalition that includes the NGO Shipbreaking Platform warns, however, that the Regulation will fail to change the current state of play if no financial incentive is rapidly introduced to ensure compliance.
Jumping Register
The new Regulation does nothing to prevent ship owners from jumping register to a non-EU flag prior to breaking their ships to avoid the new rules.
In fact, the Regulation may even have the unintended effect of shrinking the number of ships registered under an EU flag, and therefore making the Regulation counterproductive to other EU initiatives aimed at building a more robust EU fleet.
Further Regulation and Guidance Needed
The new Regulation asks the European Commission to elaborate on the possibilities of a financial mechanism to enhance clean and safe ship recycling. Several other elements that can contribute to a more robust legislative framework are also left open for further development, such as:
- the need to amend the Environmental Crimes Directive (2008/99/EC) to include breaches of the new Regulation;
- the need to develop technical guidance on the requirements for ship recycling facilities; and
- the need to develop guidance for the certification and auditing of ship recycling facilities outside the EU.
Picture: Shipbreaking at Gadani, pakistan (by NGO Shipbreaking Platform 2012)
