Stricter ship-recycling norms to kick in soon

The Union government will soon release detailed, stricter norms to regulate recycling of vessels in terms of environmental hazards and worker safety, officials told Business Standard.

- DHRUVAKSH SAHA

This will be in line with the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on the Safe and Sound Recycling of Ships that came into force earlier this year.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has notified several binding provisions of the Recycling of Ships Act 2019 as being enforced starting Wednesday. These broad guiding principles, announced in 2019, were kept in abeyance until the adoption of the HKC.

These include mandatory maintenance of an inventory of hazardous materials on vessels and their components, and powers that allow a government representative (of the rank of joint secretary or above) to conduct surveys and issue compliance certifications.

"The provisions of the Act are completely aligned with the HKC and are poised to give India a competitive edge. The ministry will issue detailed regulations in a few days, and since they're on the anvil, the provisions of the act have been enforced to ensure compliance with the regulations when they come," a senior government official said.