Japan supports Bangladesh’s accession to Hong Kong Convention

Black_cats · Apr 28, 2023

Japan supports Bangladesh’s accession to Hong Kong Convention

by The Editorial Team

April 28, 2023

During her recent visit to Japan, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed her intention to make efforts towards the early accession to the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, which was met with support from Japanese Prime Minister Kishida.
This move is considered as a significant step towards establishing a global regime for safe and environmentally sustainable ship recycling.

In particualar, Bangladesh’s accession to the HKC, along with India, means that the combined maximum annual recycling capacity of these countries is above the required 3% threshold. Bangladesh, in particular, is one of the major ship recycling countries in the world, and its accession to the HKC is crucial to trigger the capacity clause and bring the world closer to a sustainable and safe ship recycling industry.

In response to Japanese Prime Minister Kishida’s expectation that Bangladesh would accede to the HKC, Prime Minister Hasina expressed her intention to make efforts for the early accession to the HKC in 2023. Prime Minister Kishida also expressed his intention to consider supporting Bangladesh in the area of ship recycling, taking into account Bangladesh’s need for the development of a Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF).

This support would be crucial for Bangladesh’s compliance with the HKC, as the convention requires states to ensure that the ship recycling facilities within their jurisdiction comply with the convention’s requirements for safe and environmentally sound recycling practices.

Therefore, the development of a TSDF in Bangladesh is a critical step towards the country’s successful accession to the HKC, and Japan’s support in this regard is a significant boost towards achieving this goal.

The HKC is an international agreement designed to improve the safety and sustainability of ship recycling, ensuring that ships are recycled in an environmentally sound and safe manner, preventing harm to human health and the environment. However, for the HKC to enter into force, it must be ratified by at least 15 states, representing 40% of the world’s merchant shipping by gross tonnage, and a combined maximum annual ship recycling volume not less than 3% of their combined tonnage.

Once the HKC enters into force, it will establish a global regime for ship recycling, providing clear guidelines for the design, construction, operation, and end-of-life management of ships.

This will ensure that the process of ship recycling is carried out in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner, preventing accidents, pollution, and damage to the marine environment.

Portugal is the latest country to accede to IMO’s treaty for safe and environmentally-sound ship recycling – the Hong Kong Convention. Until today,20 Contracting States have ratified the Convention, representing 30.16% of the gross tonnage of the world’s merchant shipping.