PIB TrackerIndia and the EU push cleaner ship recycling, with three yards ready for the EU list
India and the European Union reviewed the audit process for Indian ship-recycling yards seeking a place on the EU's approved list; three yards have cleared compliance, and a Joint Working Group was proposed.
What happened
- Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and European Commissioner for Environment Jessika Roswall reviewed the audit and compliance process for Indian yards seeking recognition under the European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR).
- More than 30 Indian yards have applied for EU recognition, six are in the approval process, and three have completed all compliance and are now eligible to apply for inclusion in the EU list of approved facilities.
- Per UNCTAD, India's share of world ship recycling rose from 30.1% in 2024 to 35.4% in 2025, with 2.99 million gross tons (GT) recycled in 2025, nearly 60% up on 2024.
- India aims to recycle nearly 16,000 ships over the next decade, backed by an $8 billion commitment to shipbuilding and ship recycling.
- Roswall proposed a Joint Working Group (JWG) and said the matter would go to EU member states in the autumn session, adding that the EU's approach stays consistent with the Hong Kong International Convention.
For Prelims
- Hong Kong International Convention (HKC): The IMO convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, adopted in 2009; India acceded on 28 November 2019; it entered into force on 26 June 2025 once tonnage/State thresholds were met.
- Recycling of Ships Act, 2019: India's domestic law implementing the HKC standards, giving statutory backing to safe and environmentally sound ship recycling.
- Alang (Gujarat): On the Gulf of Khambhat in Bhavnagar district, it is the world's largest ship-recycling hub, accounting for the bulk of India's and a large share of global recycling volume.
- EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EUSRR): Requires EU-flagged ships to be recycled only at facilities on the European List of Approved Ship Recycling Facilities; third-country yards are assessed by the European Commission; standards are stricter than the HKC (e.g., the 'beaching' method is not permitted, plus downstream waste and labour conditions).
- Hazardous materials: End-of-life ships carry asbestos, heavy metals, PCBs and residual oils; the HKC mandates an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) and safe, contained handling.
- 'Beaching': Running a ship aground on a tidal beach for dismantling — the traditional South Asian method; it is central to the EU-list debate because it is seen as offering less containment of pollutants than pier/dock-based recycling.
- Don't confuse: The HKC (IMO, global) and the EUSRR (EU law) are separate instruments — HKC compliance does not automatically place a yard on the EU list, which the European Commission assesses on its own, stricter criteria.
For UPSC: India and the EU advanced cooperation on getting Indian yards onto the EU's approved ship-recycling list, with three yards now eligible to apply. Anchor the Hong Kong Convention (adopted 2009, India acceded 2019, in force 26 June 2025), the Recycling of Ships Act 2019, Alang as the world's largest hub, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation and its stricter 'European List', and the pollution/worker-safety issues (asbestos, heavy metals, the beaching debate) in the circular-economy frame.
What it is NOT: This is not EU listing of the yards — three Indian facilities have only completed compliance and are now eligible to apply; a final EU decision follows member-state consultation. HKC compliance is also not the same as EU-list approval, which the European Commission judges on its own, stricter standards.
For Mains
Syllabus: GS3.14 · GS2.18 · Linkage L2
Anchor
Environmentally sound ship recycling and the circular economy, advanced through India-EU regulatory cooperation and harmonisation with the Hong Kong Convention.
Substantiation (data)
Over 30 Indian yards applied and three cleared full compliance; India's world share rose from 30.1% (2024) to 35.4% (2025) per UNCTAD; 2.99 million GT recycled in 2025; a $8 billion sector commitment.
Exemplification
Cite Alang (Gujarat), the world's largest ship-recycling hub, and India's HKC accession (2019) plus the Recycling of Ships Act, 2019 as the compliance backbone.
Problematisation
The stricter EU list, worker-safety and hazardous-waste risks (asbestos, heavy metals) and the contested 'beaching' method complicate access to European markets.
Way-forward
Upgrade yards to EU-list standards, strengthen inventories of hazardous materials, worker welfare and downstream waste handling, and use the proposed Joint Working Group for coordination.
Position
India's stance: transparent audits and infrastructure upgrades make Indian yards fit for global recognition and a larger role in responsible end-of-life ship management.
Deploys into: Environmental conservation & pollution control (hazardous waste, circular economy) and international regulatory cooperation on maritime sustainability (HKC, EU Ship Recycling Regulation) (GS3.14 conservation & pollution, GS2.18 groupings & agreements).
Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways · 2026-07-01 · PRID 2280098 · PIB source ↗