The International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships was adopted in May 2009 by the International Maritime Organization (IOM) at a Conference held in Hong-Kong.

During the last three years the SafeWork department of the ILO, in collaboration with other departments (SECTOR, NORMES and JUR), has contributed to the preparation of this international instrument to ensure its compatibility with ILO standards.

The 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. During the Conference, IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos declared that the new Convention struck the right balance between the responsibilities and obligations of shipowners, ship recycling facilities and flag and recycling States. He added that the Convention, as adopted, allows for future improvements and provides "a platform and an avenue for better regulation, in due course, of the activity it addresses."

The Convention shall be open for signature by any State at the Headquarters of the IOM from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and shall thereafter remain open for accession by any State.

  Summary on the new Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009

  Find more information on the IMO website