WITH the ratification of Bangladesh and Liberia, enforcement of the UN's International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships will come into effect in two years, reports Ventura, California's gCaptain.

The primary objective of the Hong Kong Convention is to ensure that ships, when being recycled at the end of their operational lives, do not pose unnecessary risks to human health, safety and the environment when being scrapped.

The Convention was developed over three and a half years in cooperation with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the parties to the Basel Convention and adopted during a diplomatic conference in Hong Kong on May 15, 2009.

It also assigns responsibilities and obligations to various stakeholders, including shipowners, shipyards, ship recycling facilities, flag states, port states and recycling states.

The Convention's entry into force has been contingent on meeting certain criteria, including having at least 15 participating states, representing no less than 40 per cent of the world's merchant shipping by gross tonnage, and a ship recycling capacity of at least three of their combined gross tonnage.

Now having met these conditions, the Hong Kong Convention will officially enter into force on June 26, 2025.

Once the Hong Kong Convention comes into effect, ships destined for recycling will be required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials onboard. Authorised ship recycling facilities will need to provide a specific ship recycling plan for each individual vessel to be recycled.

Governments will also be responsible for ensuring that recycling facilities within their jurisdiction comply with the convention's regulations.

As of now, the Hong Kong Convention has gained the participation of 22 contracting parties, including: Bangladesh, Belgium, Republic of the Congo, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Japan, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malta, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Portugal, Sao Tome and Principe, Serbia, Spain and Turkey.

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), representing over 80 per cent of the world merchant fleet, welcomed the news.

Said ICS eco manager John Stawpert: "This marks a sea change for this global industry and confirms that in the near future shipowners will be confident that their vessels will find a safe and environmentally sound destination for recycling.