EU Ship Recycling Regulation: Evaluation and list update

The European Commission on Wednesday published the results of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation evaluation. 

The assessment concludes that the Regulation has largely achieved its objectives and, notably, through the establishment of a dedicated European List of authorised ship recycling facilities, has contributed to higher environmental and social standards in ship recycling practices. It has also become an important benchmark used by stakeholders and authorities within and outside the EU.   

However, the Regulation’s effectiveness has been significantly undermined through the practice of shipowners changing the ship’s flag from a Member State’s flag to a non-EU flag shortly before being recycled, incentivised by the additional revenue from selling end-of-life vessels to South Asian yards.

The evaluation also highlights that hazardous materials inventories are still too often absent during the vessel's operational life. At the recycling stage, the quality of inventories is often insufficient.  

Evaluation next steps

This evaluation precedes the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention in June 2025, which sets out international ship recycling standards that are less stringent than the EU Ship Recycling Regulation in some areas. The Commission plans to assess how this Convention will be implemented and possibly improved towards stricter global standards.  

At the same time, the Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of the Regulation, collaborating with Member States, non-EU countries, and stakeholders. It will focus on preventing EU-flagged ships from circumventing their obligations to have these ships recycled in EU-listed facilities, clarifying standards and ensuring penalties for infringements.  

European list update

Yesterday, the European Commission also adopted the 14th edition of the European List of ship recycling facilities. The Commission has added one yard in the Netherlands and one yard in Türkiye. Three yards, which were located in Latvia, Lithuania, and Türkiye, have been removed.

The European List now contains 43 facilities: 31 yards located in Europe (EU, Norway and UK), 11 in Türkiye, and 1 in the United States. 

Background

European ship owners possess around 30% of the world's fleet in tonnage. Many ships, however, are dismantled outside the EU, mainly in South Asia, under conditions that are often harmful to workers' health and the environment.

The EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation was adopted in 2013 to provide a regulatory framework for the recycling of large sea-going vessels sailing under an EU Member State flag.  

The Regulation includes:-

• Requirements for ships and recycling facilities;
• Limits and prohibitions on the installation and use of hazardous materials on ships (i.e. asbestos);
• The European List of compliant ship recycling facilities located in the EU and the rest of the world.  

More information

Report to the Council and European Parliament on the Ship Recycling Regulation

Evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation

Public consultation

Support study for the evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation

14th edition of the European List of ship recycling facilities

Webpage on Ship Recycling including a map of EU-listed yards