Emden yard joins EU ship recycling list

The European Commission’s latest list of approved ship recycling facilities includes the Emden yard in Germany for the first time.

The 15th edition of the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities renews the inclusion of four EU shipyards in Denmark, Estonia, Lithuaniaand Spain. Another in Türkiyehas also been renewed. 

Three shipyards have been removed from the list, including a Finnish shipyard that chose not to renew its authorisation, and one in Northern Ireland that failed to provide the necessary information for renewal.

The Commission also found that one shipyard in Türkiye did not comply with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation regarding shoreline protection.  

Compliance

European ship owners possess around 30% of the world’s fleet in tonnage. Many ships are dismantled outside the EU, mainly in South Asia, under conditions that are often harmful to workers’ health and the environment.  

Inclusion on the European List allows facilities to work with large vessels flying the flag of an EU Member State while guaranteeing compliance with strict environmental, safety and labour standards. 

The updated European List now contains 41 ship recycling facilities: 30 in Europe (EU, Norway and the UK), 10 in Türkiye and one in the United States. Several can process large vessels.

Assessment

The European list is regularly updated to include compliant facilities or remove those that no longer meet standards. Facilities in the EU are assessed by national authorities, which then inform the Commission if the facility should be listed.

Ship recycling facilities located outside the EU wanting to recycle ships flying a Member State flag must apply to the Commission for listing.