The Cyprus Shipping Chamber (CSC) on Thursday welcomed the entry into force of the Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, which takes effect today.

According to a statement from the chamber, the convention represents the first global legal framework that ensures ships are recycled in a safe and sustainable manner, protecting both human health and safety as well as the environment.

The chamber stated that it has “strongly supported the adoption and implementation of the Hong Kong convention”, recognising that for a global industry like shipping, it is “important to have uniform international regulations for ship recycling”.

It added that a standardised international framework “further strengthens safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance, ensuring that ship recycling takes place under controlled and proper conditions”.

“With the official entry into force of the convention, and acknowledging the progress made over the past sixteen years since its adoption by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the chamber considers it imperative that the European Commission include in the European List of Approved Recycling Facilities any unit that meets the convention’s requirements” the statement said.

“In this way, fair competition will be ensured for EU-flagged ships at the end of their life cycle, as the current list is limited in number and geographic spread and does not adequately meet the needs of a global industry such as shipping” the announcement concluded.