Norway is First to Accede to Hong Kong Ship Recycling Treaty

MarineLink.com June 26, 2013

First Secretary Kristin Stockman of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to the United Kingdom, hands over Norway’s instrument of accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, to Mr. Gaetano Librando, Head, Legal Affairs Office, Senior Deputy Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, IMO

Norway became the first contracting State to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009, today, Wednesday, June 26.

The Hong Kong Convention is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety or to the environment.

First Secretary Kristin Stockman, of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to the United Kingdom, deposited Norway’s instrument of accession at IMO headquarters.

The Hong Kong treaty will enter into force 24 months after ratification by not less than 15 States, representing 40% of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage, with a combined maximum annual ship recycling volume not less than 3 per cent of their combined tonnage.