UK Ship Recycling Strategy: Terms of Reference
Aims
- To develop a strategic approach to the recycling of UK flagged vessels that is consistent with the UK's national and international sustainable development commitments
- To support, with the provision of guidance, the development of UK capacity for recycling of end-of-life vessels in an environmentally sound manner
Objectives
- To establish a national policy for the recycling of UK Government-owned vessels
- To set out interim policy on the relevant controls for other UK flagged vessels
- To inform UK position for international negotiations on ship dismantling
- To provide guidance to those wishing to recycle ships in the UK
Scope
1. Background
- Concerns over lack of a global regulatory framework for ship recycling (environmental & human health/safety)
- Impact of US naval ships incident
- Efra inquiry
- Ballard review
- Environment Agency's US ships review
- Links with Government sustainable development strategy, the Government's sustainable shipping policy (being developed by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency) & Greening Government agenda
2. Current practices
- Primary ship recycling destinations: India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China
- Lack of high quality facilities in OECD/EU which could compete with Asia
- Lack of definitive policy/enforcement of standards in ship recycling
- Drivers for ship owners (market for recycled materials, costs, freight rates, regulation), ship recyclers (labour costs, equipment costs, facilities, regulation) and Governments
3. Predicted arisings
- Figures
UK Government: 44 naval vessels to be decommissioned in next decade, with assessments to be made of vessels from other Government agencies (eg. CEFAS, DEFRA, MCA vessels)
Vessels flagged to the EU Member States: 400 single hulled tankers by 2010 - Need for effective ESM capacity
Establish regional Centres of Excellence
Large vs. smaller vessel considerations
4. Recycling facilities
- UK/EU opportunities
Operational and potential (planned or dormant) recycling facilities
Economic and environmental considerations/impacts of establishing UK facilities/sustainability links
5. Regulatory framework/Legislative issues
- International
IMO guidelines
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal guidelines/TFS control system
ILO guidelines
UNCLOS
Stockholm Convention on POPs
EC Environmental Directives - Domestic
Planning control (including as necessary hazardous substances)
Waste management and pollution controls
Health and safety at work
Recommendations
1. Statement of policy
- UK Government ships
- UK flagged ships (interim - link with UK implementation of IMO guidelines)
2. Practical guides (detail will be in annexes)
- Ship owners
Process: decision-making tree; checklist; role of competent authorities; green passport schemes
Contact list: regulators, competent authorities - Recycling facilities
Regulatory regimes
Waste management licensing
Planning system
Health and safety
Environmental Impact Assessments (public participation/consultation)
Vis-à-vis Biodiversity and Protection Areas (eg. Natura 2000, Ramsar, SSSI)
3. International work to establish a control framework
- Current guidelines
Basel Convention Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships
IMO Voluntary Guidelines on Ship Recycling
ILO Guidelines on Safety and Health in Shipbreaking - Joint Working Group (IMO/ILO/Basel)
- Set out UK principles for new international control system
4. Further exploration of means to establish UK facilities (separate study)
- Investigate current availability and planned developments of facilities in UK/EU
- Requirements for grants/financial assistance: policy tools/funding availability
- Regulatory requirements to establish facilities
Future work
To be completed as work on the strategy progresses but will include work that needs to be undertaken in the longer term. Could include:
1. Establishment of minimum standards for recycling of Government-owned vessels
Strategy Milestones
| Milestone | Provisional Dates |
| Meetings with stakeholders | November 2004 - January 2005 |
| 1st draft of Strategy completed | May 2005 |
| Report on Ship Recycling Facilities delivered (separate study) | June 2005 |
| Public consultation for Strategy commences | Autumn 2005 |
| Finalisation and publication of Strategy | Late 2005/early 2006 |
Page last modified:
1 April 2005
Page published: 5 February 2003