India's Ship Recycling Capacity Gains Attention from EU

In a push to expand the European Union's recognized ship recycling capacity, GMS, the world's largest cash buyer of ships for recycling, has called on the European Commission to approve qualified Indian ship recycling yards for inclusion on the European List under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR). According to Splash247, over 110 Indian yards already hold Hong Kong Convention (HKC) Statements of Compliance, demonstrating their adherence to international standards for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling. However, the EU's current list of approved facilities is limited, creating a need for expanded recognition of India's substantial recycling capabilities. 'India has emerged as a global leader in ship recycling, with world-class facilities that meet the highest international standards,' said Anil Sharma, CEO of GMS. 'It's time for the EU to formally acknowledge India's capacity and include qualified yards on the European List to support a more sustainable and circular maritime economy.' The push for EU recognition comes as the global shipping industry faces increasing pressure to improve the environmental and social impacts of end-of-life vessel disposal. The EU SRR aims to ensure ships are recycled in a safe and environmentally sound manner, but its limited list of approved facilities has been a point of contention. 'Expanding the EU List to include qualified Indian yards would give shipowners more options to responsibly recycle their vessels and help drive further improvements across the ship recycling sector,' added Sharma. 'We're hopeful the European Commission will take this important step forward.'