Ship Recycling Research Articles

Navigating the EU Ship Recycling Market: Economic and Environmental Perspectives

Ship recycling refers to the process of dismantling ships to extract and recover materials and it is typically seen as the best method to dispose of a ship when its service life is coming to an end. Exploring the European Union's aspiration to enhance competitiveness and boost ship recycling near its shipyards, this study delves into the European ship recycling market's environmental, economic, and regulatory facets. It focuses on factors influencing recycling activities in the EU, set against global market trends and stringent regulations. Employing a multiple linear regression model, the study analyzes variables like shipyard capacity, Light Displacement Tonnage (LDT) price, ship age, shipbuilding rates, maritime trade volumes, and material circularity, drawing data from 2016 to 2022 from various open-source databases. The research uncovers correlations between shipyard capacity and demolition rates, and the impact of LDT prices on demolitions. The study also notes the interplay between shipbuilding activities and demolition rates. This paper contributes crucial insights to the European ship recycling market, aiding sustainable development in a changing operational environment.

Ship recycling process in Bangladesh and a survey-based risk assessment with mitigation proposal

Ship recycling industries play a significant role in the economic development of South Asian countries, including Bangladesh. In the wake of entering the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) in June 2025, the industry aims to improve its overall safety standards cost-effectively. However, due to the restrictive nature of the industry, solutions based on field surveys are limited. This study successfully articulates the indigenous industry knowledge of the recycling process in Bangladesh after carefully studying the practices followed by the existing ship recycling yards in the country. Based on field surveys conducted across 18 ship recycling yards in Bangladesh, the risk patterns inherent in the ship recycling industry are studied; for example, highly hazardous tasks in the ship recycling process are found to be (i) explosion hazards during primary cutting operations at the intertidal zone, (ii) falling hazards during inspections at the outer anchorage, (iii) falling and crushing hazards during block cutting and handling heavy objects. Industry experts and scholars consider the perception of the risk pattern regarding the current practices of ship recycling activities to cover a broader perspective of this issue. The correlation of survey outcomes with actual accident cases is comparable. Finally, practical recommendations for minimising risks have been recommended, especially in high-risk workplace areas. The study adds knowledge to the existing literature by giving a clear picture of evidence-based findings for this sector and helps improve the industry's overall safety standard.

Navigating Green Ship Recycling: A Systematic Review and Implications for Circularity and Sustainable Development

The shipping industry is the cornerstone that facilitates the movement of approximately 90% of international commercial goods. However, environmental challenges, particularly in the ship recycling (SR) industry, have become increasingly evident. Via closed-loop production patterns within an economic system, a circular economy aims to improve resource-use efficiency by focusing on urban and industrial waste to achieve better balance and harmony between the economy, environment, and society. A key element in this process is a well-executed disassembly that enables reuse, remanufacturing, high-value recycling, and implementing other circular strategies. Based on a systematic literature review, this paper delineates the SR process, identifies influential scholarly works on recycling end-of-life ships, discusses factors affecting shipowners’ decision to recycle, and opportunities for sustainability and circularity in SR processes. The results confirm the increasing need for green SR to reduce shipbreaking waste. Also discussed is how greening SR could be integrated into sustainable development goals under proper environmental and safety regulations and an aligned cultural mindset for stakeholders.

Ship Recycling and the Right to a Healthy Environment

Ship Recycling and the Right to a Healthy Environment

Recycling of Ships Act 2019: challenges and opportunities for ship recycling industry in India

ABSTRACT The Recycling of Ships Act 2019 (RSA 2019) was inspired by the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009, and it aimed at setting standards for ship recycling and laying down a statutory mechanism for enforcing such standards. This paper discusses the relevance and the contextual factors that led to the formulation of the RSA 2019. The RSA has invited sharp criticism, stressing the need to make appropriate amendments to the Act to ensure a safe and sound recycling environment and safeguard the health of recycling workers. An analysis of the recent trends in the ship recycling market has been carried out in light of implementing the RSA. The long-term sustainability of the ship recycling operations requires the formation of a collective association of the recycling nations in South Asia, even though each nation may adopt independent regulations of its own.

A Critical Analysis of Legal Regime of Ship-Breaking and Ship-Recycling in Bangladesh

Shipbreaking and ship recycling is one of the major industries of Bangladesh. It is a significant contributor to Bangladesh’s economy and employment as well as one of the major sources of steel supply for the nation. However, this comes at a huge cost to the environment and human health and the current governance of the industry is unable to address this issue properly. This paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the legal framework governing ship-breaking and ship-recycling in Bangladesh, with a primary focus on environmental degradation. It critically examines both national and international instruments aimed at regulating this industry. Drawing upon extensive research and literature review, the paper evaluates the effectiveness of existing legal mechanisms in addressing environmental concerns associated with ship-breaking activities. Special attention is paid to the compliance and enforcement mechanisms within these legal frameworks. Through a comparative analysis of relevant statutes, conventions, and case law, the paper highlights gaps and shortcomings in current regulations which need to be addressed to strengthen environmental protections in the ship-breaking industry. This study seeks to augment the existing dialogues on encouraging sustainable practices in the ship-breaking and ship-recycling industry in Bangladesh by offering a nuanced understanding of the complex interactions between legal regulations and environmental degradation.

Demolition of the European ships fleet: A scenario analysis

This paper conducts a detailed exploration of projected trends in the demolition and recycling of the European ship fleet, in light of the dismantling capacity in Europe. Utilizing a robust predictive model based on the Weibull distribution, the study synthesizes historical data and current operational metrics to forecast trends up to the year 2050, such as ship typologies, their average age, and recycling frequency. By estimating the rate and volume of ships reaching their end-of-life (EOL), the study aims to delineate the required capacity for ship recycling in Europe over the coming decades. The analysis reveals the key factors influencing the demolition trajectory and provide essential insights for future planning and policy formulation in the field of ship recycling. The study also underscore the importance of developing adaptive strategies in ship dismantling catering to the anticipated shifts in fleet composition and evolving environmental regulations, offering a foundation for informed decision-making and policy development in the maritime industry.

Analiza literature o utjecajima na okoliš i međunarodnom zakonodavstvu relevantnom za brodogradilišta

Shipyards are the place where the life cycle of a ship begins and ends. The life cycle of a ship, which starts with painting, blasting, and welding processes during the construction, is completed with the recycling of the steel parts and other equipment after the ship is scrapped. In this study, the harmful waste generated during the construction and recycling of ships in the shipyard and the environmental damage caused by this waste were investigated through a literature analysis. The content, implementation procedures and development processes of the relevant regulations are also examined. To fully evaluate the cumulative and holistic environmental impacts of shipyard processes, it is recommended to make greater use of the life cycle assessment approach. In this way, it will be possible to determine which process is more environmentally harmful during the shipbuilding, operation, and recycling phases, and to accurately determine the overall impact.

Evaluation of Ship Recycling Industry in View of Present Global Circumstances and Way Forward

Ship recycling, commonly referred to as ship dismantling, is an inherently sustainable practice with global implications. It involves the reverse engineering process of disassembling obsolete ships to recover reusable materials in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Over the past two decades, ships have predominantly been beached in South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India, China, and Pakistan, allowing local yards to dismantle vessels with moderate preventive measures and substantial manual labor. Ship recycling stands as a significant and environmentally conscious industry, witnessing the annual recycling of approximately 1000 obsolete ships globally. Currently, this industry is predominantly led by three South Asian countries—India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, the industry commenced with the dismantling of stranded ships, evolving into a large and profitable sector that generates substantial employment opportunities for thousands of semi-skilled workers in poverty-prone areas. While the ship recycling industry presents opportunities, it also poses challenges for coastal zone management, encompassing environmental, law enforcement, and worker safety concerns. The surge in demand for ship recycling has prompted increased regulatory scrutiny at both national and international levels. This pressure culminated in the development of the Hong Kong International Convention (HKC) by the IMO in 2009, mandating safety and environmental protection standards at recycling yards. Achieving a perfectly green ship recycling process in line with European standards is inherently costly. However, a viable and almost green ship recycling approach, integrating the current common practice of beaching methods in Asian countries, is entirely feasible. Despite limitations and challenges, the industry significantly contributes to Bangladesh's GDP and the overall socio-economic landscape. Currently, there has been a visible reduction in Bangladesh's market share due to stringent environmental regulations, while competitors have experienced increases. This study represents an analytical effort to evaluate the current global ship recycling scenario, exploring its potential, challenges, and the future trajectory of both local and global ship recycling industries.

A holistic risk assessment under the D–S evidential theory and FMECA approach of ship recycling process hazards in the maritime environment

The ship recycling process is one of the most dangerous works performed in marine environments for not only human health but also marine environment and ecology due to the nature of the work. The process contains various hazards such as asbestos, heavy metal residues, pollutants, etc. for the marine environment. The aim of this paper is to systematically analyze ship recycling hazards and reveal potential consequences to the marine environment. To achieve this purpose, a holistic risk assessment incorporating failure mode effect critical analysis (FMECA) and Dempster–Shafer (D–S) evidence theory is adopted. Whilst the FMECA presents a systematic assessment of potential hazards and their consequences, the D–S evidence theory is capable of managing epistemic uncertainty in the assessment of risk parameters. The findings show that H6 (heavy metal residues) and H8 (toxins) have the highest RPN (risk priority number) which requires utmost attention for a sustainable ship recycling process in the maritime environment. The outcomes of the research provide valuable insight to maritime environment researchers, safety inspectors, and health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) managers for minimizing environmental hazards and enhance safety associated with the ship recycling process.

Waste and hazardous material handling at green ship recycling facilities

The study aims to develop requirements for handling waste and hazardous materials at green ship recycling facilities in Indonesia. Since the implementation of the cabotage principle in 2005, the number of ships in Indonesia has increased significantly from 6,041 in 2005 to 37,722 in 2022, with 20 percent of them being over 30 years old. This creates a significant potential for ships that are no longer economically suitable for operation and need to be recycled. Additionally, there has been a continuous increase in domestic steel demand, for which raw materials could be supplied from the scrapped steel of old ships. Despite the abundance of old ships and the demand for steel, Indonesia has not been able to utilize the opportunity, because the ship recycling industry is far from compliant with the required international standards, in particular the Hong Kong Convention, and which compliance is urgently needed, especially in conjunction with the its upcoming entering into force on 26 June 2025. Ship recycling facilities in Indonesia are still behind concerning the handling of waste and hazardous materials, which is a crucial aspect in complying with international regulations. A literature study and in-depth discussions with experts in the field of ship recycling were carried out to compare the international regulations related to ship recycling with current Indonesian conditions and, based on the findings, the requirements for handling waste and hazardous materials were developed. It is concluded that the procedure would include planning for ship recycling process flow, identifying waste and hazardous materials, and deciding requirements for handling waste and hazardous materials. It is expected that the requirements would contribute to the development of Indonesia’s ship recycling industry to comply with the international regulations and gain international recognition. Highlights The ship recycling industry in Indonesia still lacks references regarding handling waste and hazardous materials Handling waste and hazardous materials is crucial in ship recycling activities Hong Kong Convention emphasizes the handling of hazardous substances and other materials in its definition of Green Ship Recycling Green ship recycling pays more attention to the safety and health of workers, as well as the environmental effects that arise during the ship recycling process Hazardous materials are classified into 3 categories: solid, liquid, and others, and each category requires a special handling method

Political and Economic Dimensions of the Dominance of Selected Asian Recycling Yards in the World

India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have dominated the global ship recycling market in the 21st century. A recycled ship provides steel and other metals for industrial reuse. In addition to economic gains, ship recycling affects the environment and workers’ health. The article compares the changes in the policies of the governments of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan regarding recycling shipyard operations from 2009-2022 in the context of international and EU law standards. It also shows the impact of international organizations, shipbuilding trade unions, Shipbreaking Platform non-governmental, Maersk shipping company, and Norway on the decisions of South Asian countries to make them ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. Analysis of the collected research material allows us to conclude that the governments of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan have shown varying degrees of understanding of introducing legal regulations for safe ship recycling.

Ship recycling in developing economies of South Asia: Changing liability to a commodity

The end-of-life (EOL) of ships which is neglected and considered a liability by developed economies of the western world. However, it has become a commodity in the developing economies of South Asian countries. Ship recycling activities are considered extremely dangerous by the International Labour Organization (ILO); however, if ship recycling operations are well-managed then they can play a vital role in achieving circular economy and UN sustainable development goals. This study critically examines recent developments in key ship recycling nations, shedding light on both opportunities and challenges faced by this evolving industry. By delving into the socio-economic benefits and presenting a nuanced assessment of the current state of ship recycling, this research aims to bridge the gap between perceived risks and untapped potential. Furthermore, a strategic analysis using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) methodology is employed to dissect the ship recycling landscape in South Asian countries. This analysis discerns the inherent strengths and opportunities that can be harnessed for sustainable growth, while also acknowledging and addressing the weaknesses and threats that demand careful consideration in the execution of ship recycling operations. This comprehensive exploration underscores the urgent need for a holistic understanding of the ship recycling industry, fostering dialogue and collaboration towards fostering responsible practices and maximizing the positive impact of ship recycling on both local economies and global sustainability goals.

A Review on Ship Recycling Industry in Bangladesh from Global Perspective

A Review on Ship Recycling Industry in Bangladesh from Global Perspective

Ship recycling—estimating future stocks and readiness for green steel transformation

This article addresses ship recycling. Often criticized for dire health and safety conditions at breaking destinations in the Global South, our article considers ship recycling as a potential future source for secondary steel in green transformations. It represents an analysis of forthcoming changes in the regulatory framework, an initial assessment of steel stocks based on publicly available data, and a local case study. Here, the article assesses the capability of Bremen, a city in Northern Germany, to gain a relevant future market share. Our results indicate (a) the regulatory framework is dynamic due to the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention in 2025 und the current revision of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation; (b) the future market is significant, roughly equivalent to the entire current US car fleet in terms of steel stocks; (c) the ability to act locally depends on a variety of critical factors, including political will, entrepreneurial capital, and space requirements. The article concludes with an outlook on the importance of such a development for the transition towards ‘net zero steel’ and provides a perspective on future research needs.

Global containments and local leakages: Structural violence and the toxic flows of shipbreaking

This article explores how ship recycling—an essential part of the shipping economy—results in breaking up toxic vessels that leak hazardous materials into coastal communities and wetlands ecologies of South Asia. Drawing on multi-scaled and multisited ethnographic fieldwork with shipbreaking workers and local fishing communities in Chattogram, Bangladesh as well as with shipbreaking yard owners, maritime consultants, and government officials, we conceptualize toxic flows as a method to trace the lived experiences of those who are exposed to industrial pollution from shipbreaking. First, we propose that shipbreaking with its local toxic leakages constitutes a form of “structural violence” where violence is built into the logic of accumulation strategies in the maritime economy and shows up as unequal power relations that produce the conditions for unequal life chances. Second, we discuss Bangladesh’s recent efforts towards ratifying the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships and its potential to contain these toxic flows. Lastly, we explore how ethnographically tracing ‘toxic flows’ i.e., the movement of these toxic substances, allows us to shift scales of analysis and make visible the different ways shipbreaking is perceived to negatively affect health and social reproduction beyond the boundary of shipbreaking yards. We conclude that structural violence such as reduced life expectancies due to poisonous exposure risks becoming embedded in the logic of oceanic forms of accumulation without state regulatory enforcement and supervision.

Integrating Ship Recycling Facility into Existing Shipyard: A Study of Malaysian Shipyard

Ship recycling in Malaysia is an unknown business as no dedicated ship recycling yard is currently operated in this country. Most Malaysian shipowners send their end-of-life (EOL) ships to prominent ship recycling yards in Pakistan, India, and China, which are key players in the global ship recycling industry. Due to various factors, establishing a proper ship recycling facility for Malaysia is challenging. One issue that arises is the ability of Malaysian yards to offer competitive EOL ship prices, which can be achieved by increasing the revenue or lowering the ship recycling process costs. It will allow Malaysian recycling players to offer a high price to ship owners and attract them to recycle their ships locally. This paper studies the potential of an integrated ship recycling facility for a Malaysian shipyard. A medium size shipyard situated at Chukai, Terengganu, was selected as a case study. The facility analysis was performed to determine share resources, and a revised layout was proposed. The prospect of ship recycling facility integration in Malaysian shipyards was discussed and summarised. The result analysis signifies that the shipyard facility can be adequately shared for ship recycling activity, and no major change is required in the overall shipyard layout. Lastly, the findings suggest that an integrated ship recycling facility is feasible for a Malaysian shipyard.

Risk analysis of on-field and on-board activities and resilience investigation of Izmir Aliaga Ship Recycling Facilities

Ship recycling facilities play a pivotal role in the industry by dismantling old ships and reusing diverse parts, equipment, and steel in various applications. Turkey, particularly in Izmir Aliaga, hosts 22 facilities with a recycling capacity of approximately 1.5 million tons per year. Despite their positive economic impact, the Aliaga facilities present substantial health and safety risks. Therefore, conducting comprehensive and proactive risk analysis studies to ensure the safety of these facilities is imperative.This paper aims to present a novel framework for the risk analysis arising in both on-board and on-field operations at Aliağa Ship Recycling Facilities integrating FMEA, OWGA, FVIKOR, and Resilience Engineering RE principles. Traditional risk analysis methods such as FMEA, while effective in identifying failure modes and their consequences, may overlook the dynamic and interconnected nature of risks, especially in complex systems where human and organizational factors play a significant role. To develop a new proactive risk analysis, this article employs both the strengths of classical risk analysis methods and presents a comprehensive approach using RE principles. With its proactive and innovative aspects, this method promises significant improvements in safety and reliability standards in the ship recycling industry.

Analysis of COVID-19 Pandemic Effect on Ship Dismantling and Recycling Industry: An Assessment on Türkiye

_ The average age of the global merchant fleet has been declining with the increasing number of new ship constructions and dismantled ships. Although a noteworthy part of ship dismantling and recycling (SDR) facilities have been performed in Asian countries, such as India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, SDR facilities have also been increasing in Türkiye. SDR facilities provide substantial economic income and employment opportunities. However, SDR facilities should have been performed in a certain systematic framework by taking necessary precautions since toxic substances from dismantled ships affect the environment and employees’ health. That’s why maritime authorities make an effort to sustain the SDR facilities in the best way in the sense of safety, health, and environment through the European Union (EU) Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), Basel Convention, and Hong Kong Convention (HKC). In this paper, the global SDR facilities have been evaluated in terms of ship types and their gross tonnages (GTs) over the past 5 years among the leading countries. The number, type, economic life span, steel weight, and light displacement tonnage (LDT) of dismantled ships have been analyzed in Türkiye, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic process. To determine the most effective year in terms of SDR, the weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) method has been utilized based on scrap steel price, LDT, economic life span, number of dismantled ships, and steel structure weight coefficient of the ship by maritime experts. The year 2017 has been highlighted as the most effective year with a .909 rank value in the last 5 years. In addition to analysis results, the largest amount of scrap steel has been acquired from dry cargo ships, which is the most dismantled ship type under data getting from the SDR facilities in Türkiye. Temporary bans on cruises due to the COVID-19 pandemic have caused more than triple increments in the number of passenger ships (PS) dismantling. This paper will be a quite notable resource for experts, academics, and industry stakeholders in order to explore and compare the SDR process. Keywords ship dismantling; ship recycling; COVID-19; scrap steel; passenger ships

A model for sustainable development of the ship recycling industry: Empirical evidence from China

AbstractThe ship recycling industry is a labor‐intensive field that often grapples with the issue of workers not adopting appropriate practices that are environmentally friendly and safe. However, the existing literature largely overlooks the consideration of workers' environmentally friendly and safety behaviors. Therefore, this study aims to explore the determinants of workers' environmentally friendly and safety behaviors during ship recycling by proposing a theoretical model that incorporates the theory of planned behavior. Survey data were collected from 170 participants in the ship recycling industry in China. Subsequently, structural equation modeling was applied to evaluate the proposed model. The findings highlight that factors such as attitude, perceived behavioral control, subjective norms, safety awareness, and perceived susceptibility directly or indirectly affect workers' environmentally friendly and safety behavior. The study offers important implications for ship recycling companies and environmental policies, fostering the emergence of sustainable development, and stakeholder engagement in the industry.