A few hours before the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) – the first global legal framework for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships – comes into force, Gudrun Janssens, Head of European Relations, Environment and Technical Matters at BIMCO, spoke exclusively to “N”, explaining why the HKC marks a turning point for the shipping industry.
Janssens acknowledged the risks associated with traditional practices, such as beaching, but emphasized that the real issue is not the method itself, but the lack of regulation.
“The Hong Kong Convention does not prohibit practices. It sets conditions that reduce risks,” she emphasized.
For the first time, from June 2025, all ships worldwide will have to be recycled according to a common set of rules, regardless of method or geographical location.
Janssens also warned that the success of the Convention will depend on universal compliance and the resolution of legal ambiguities – in particular between the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention.
