PRESS RELEASE: ICS celebrates the Hong Kong Convention entering into force.
Circular Ref: A(23)111
Issue Date: 27 Jun 2023
The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) issued a press release yesterday celebrating the leadership shown by both principal ship recycling country Bangladesh and the world’s second largest ship registry, the Liberian Registry, for agreeing to ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention) The full ICS press release is attached below.
Bangladesh ratified the Hong Kong Convention just a few weeks ago, on 12 June 2023, and Liberian Registry’s positive commitment yesterday, 26th June, has allowed all the requirements to be met to successfully bring the much-anticipated Convention into force.
The Hong Kong Convention enters into force 24 months after ratification by 15 States, representing 40% of the worlds merchant shipping by gross tonnage, with a combined maximum annual ship recycling volume not less than 3% of their combined tonnage.
Since the Convention was adopted on the 15 May 2009 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the ICS and HKSOA have been advocating for it to be ratified and to come into force to ensure international safe and sustainable ship recycling processes.