Overview
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 poor environmental and social conditions that are often harmful to workers' health and the environment.
Workers are low-paid and often have inadequate tools and little protection, leading to injuries, deaths and significant pollution.
The EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation was adopted to provide a regulatory framework for the recycling of large seagoing vessels sailing under an EU Member State flag.
Objectives
The EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation, adopted in 2013, aims to prevent, reduce and minimise accidents, injuries and other negative effects on human health and the environment related to the recycling of ships flying the flag of EU countries.
Law
The EU’s Ship Recycling Regulation establishes:-
- Requirements for ships and recycling facilities
- Limits and prohibitions on the installation and use of hazardous materials on ships (i.e. asbestos)
- A European List of compliant ship recycling facilities located in the EU and the rest of the world
This Regulation implements the requirements of the Hong Kong Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships into EU law, but also includes additional safety and environmental requirements. The Convention was adopted in 2009 and entered into force on 26 June 2025.
EU rules require that any EU ship going for dismantling, all new European ships, and third-country ships stopping in EU ports have on board an inventory of hazardous materials.
This inventory must specify the location and approximate quantities of those materials. This helps the recycling of vessels and reduces the presence of toxic materials on board ships.
Port authorities in EU countries may conduct checks on ships to verify whether they are carrying such inventory, along with the necessary certificate.
- Consolidated version of the ship recycling regulation
- Summary of ship recycling regulation
- Decision concerning the ratification of the Hong Kong Convention
Secondary law
- Implementing decision establishing the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Implementing decision on the on the format of the certificate on the inventory of hazardous materials
- Implementing decision on the format of the ready for recycling certificate
- Implementing decision on the format of the report of planned start of ship recycling
- Implementing decision on the format of the statement of completion of ship recycling
Implementation
Member states are responsible for:-
- Designating competent authorities and administrations responsible for the application of these rules and notifying the Commission of these designations
- Designating contact persons responsible for responding to enquiries
- Laying down provisions on penalties for infringements of the rules and taking all necessary measures to make sure these are applied
- Cooperating with other member countries to prevent these rules from being broken or evaded
The Commission and the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) work closely with EU countries to assist with the implementation of ship recycling rules and to ensure that these rules are correctly applied. Implementation issues are discussed regularly with EU countries at meetings of the Ship Recycling Regulation Committee and meetings of the Experts Group on ship recycling.
- Commission Notice Guidelines on the enforcement of obligations under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation relating to the Inventory of Hazardous Materials of vessels operating in European waters
- EMSA’s Guidance on inspections of ships by the port States in accordance with Regulation (EU) 1257/2013 on ship recycling
- EMSA’s Best Practice Guidance on the Inventory of Hazardous Materials
European list of ship recycling facilities
- Since 31 December 2018, ships may only be recycled in one of the facilities listed in the European list of ship recycling facilities. These facilities are located in both EU and non-EU countries and must comply with a series of requirements related to workers' safety and environmental protection. The list is reviewed and updated regularly to add or remove facilities.
- The national authorities of EU member countries inform the European Commission of the facilities located on their territory that are compliant. Ship recycling facilities located in third countries and intending to recycle ships flying the flag of an EU member country must submit an application to the Commission for inclusion in the European List using this template.
The Commission issued detailed technical guidelines on the requirements and procedure for the inclusion of facilities located in third countries in the European List.
Map of the EU-listed yards
Evaluation
On 19 February 2025, the European Commission published the results of the first evaluation of the Regulation.
- Evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation
- Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the Ship Recycling Regulation
You can find a summary of the results here.
- 31 December 2023Evaluation of Ship Recycling Regulation
- 31 December 2020Inventory of Hazardous Materials mandatory for all existing EU flagged ships and non-EU ships calling at an EU port or anchorage
- 31 December 2018General date of application of Ship Recycling Regulation
- Inventory of Hazardous Materials now mandatory for new EU flagged ships
- General requirements for shipowners, including requirements for EU flagged ships to go to approved facilities included in the European List, start to apply
- 12 December 2016First publication of the European List of ship recycling facilities
- Inventory of Hazardous Materials made mandatory for EU flagged ships going for recycling
- 20 November 2013Ship Recycling Regulation adopted
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 14th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 11th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 10th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 9th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Safer ship recycling for a greener world – leaflet
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 8th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 7th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Notice to Stakeholders on Brexit and EU rules on ship recycling
- Press release on implementing decision establishing the 6th version of the European list of ship recycling facilities
- Press release on infringement proceedings launched against nine EU countries for failing to comply with ship recycling rules
- News release on the entry into force of the ship recycling regulation
- Evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation
- Report to the Council and the European Parliament on the Ship Recycling Regulation
- Support study for the evaluation of the Ship Recycling Regulation
- Public consultation for the evaluation
- Study on enforcement procedures and sanctions in place in Member States for infringements and circumvention of Regulation (EU) 1257/2013 on ship recycling
- Commission communication on links between the EU waste shipment rules and the Hong Kong and Basel Conventions (2010)
- Science for Environment Policy – thematic issue on the impact of ship recycling (2016)
- Study on a potential financial incentive to facilitate safe and sound ship recycling (2025)
- Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the feasibility of a financial instrument that would facilitate safe and sound ship recycling (2017)
- Study on a financial instrument to facilitate safe and sound ship recycling (2016)
- Horizon Europe Research project CirclesOfLife (2024-26) - Methodology for shipyard processes’ environmental assessment and ship circularity passport
- Horizon Europe Research project SHEREC (2024-27) – Robotics, data and AI systems for ship recycling
- Research project - dismantling of vessels with enhanced safety and technology (2008-11)
- Report - the feasibility of a list of “green and safe” ship dismantling facilities and of a list of ships likely to go for dismantling (2010)
- Report - support to the impact assessment of a new legislative proposal on ship dismantling. Final report, baseline model and projection (2009)
- Study on Options for new initiatives regarding dismantling of ships executive summary, early transposition, ship dismantling fund, existing legislation, annexes, relevant documentation (2009)
- Guidelines on selling ships for recycling, transitional measures for shipowners in preparation for the Hong Kong Convention (2009)
- Research project SHIPDISMANTL - Cost-effective and environmentally sound dismantling of obsolete vessels (2005-09)
- Study on ship dismantling and pre-cleaning of ships (2007)
- Research project SHIPMATES - Ship repair to maintain transport which is environmentally Sustainable (2004-2007)
- Report on the safety and health in shipbreaking – Guidelines for Asian countries and Turkey
- RECYSHIP - LIFE pilot project on ship decontamination and recycling (2009-12)
Related topics: Chemicals; Circular economy; Maritime Transport; Waste and recycling
Related strategies: Circular Economy Action Plan; Sustainable Blue Economy
Related Commission priorities: European Green Deal
Other related legislations:Regulation on Shipment of Waste, Environmental Crime Directive; Environmental Delegated Act under Taxonomy; Climate Delegated Act under Taxonomy
Contact
For questions about EU environmental policy, please contact Europe Direct.
Other useful information can be found below:-
- European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) - EU agency providing technical assistance
- International Ship Recycling Association (ISRA) - International platform for recyclers promoting sustainable ship recycling
- NGO Shipbreaking Platform – Global coalition of organisations working to ensure the safe and environmentally sound dismantling of ships worldwide
- Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI) – Industry initiative promoting transparency to drive progress on responsible ship recycling
