Bangladesh is planning to ratify the Hong Kong Convention on recycling ships in early June. The Hong Kong Convention is an international treaty established by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to ensure that ships being recycled at the end of their operational lives do not pose risks to human health, safety, and the environment. The convention has been adopted by 63 countries, but only 20 nations have ratified it so far, including India.
Bangladesh, being the world’s top ship-breaking and recycling center, intends to ratify the convention to improve safety and environmental standards in its ship-breaking industry. The convention requires countries to convert ship-breaking yards into green facilities, where most of the work will be done by machines, thereby minimizing the risks to workers’ lives and injuries.
However, for the convention to come into force, a minimum of 15 countries representing 40% of the gross tonnage need to ratify it. So while Bangladesh’s ratification is a positive step, more countries need to join and meet the threshold for the convention to become fully effective. The article also mentions that there may be challenges in enforcing and harmonizing ship recycling regulations, considering different approaches taken by flag states, recycling states, and entities like the European Union.
It’s important to note that this information is based on the news article you provided, and the situation may have evolved since my knowledge cutoff date in September 2021.
