Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Ship Recycling, Demolition and Hong Kong Convention glossary

The recycling vocabulary anchored in the Hong Kong Convention: the Ready for Recycling Certificate, abrasive-blasting residue and absorbed hydrocarbons in the IHM, facility acceptance criteria under MEPC.211(63), and the accidental-pollution-control and Statement of Compliance terms. Grounds each term in the MEPC resolution that governs green recycling.

514 defined terms.

Showing 250 on this page (page 1 of 3).

A

Abandoned Vessel: A ship left at a recycling facility without active ownership control, often complicating Hong Kong Convention compliance because the Ready for Recycling Certificate cannot be issued without a…
Abrasive Blasting Residue: Spent grit, paint chips, and metal scale generated when ship structures are surface-prepared before cutting, classified under Inventory of Hazardous Materials Part II as operationally generated waste.
Absorbed Hydrocarbons: Oil residues retained in insulation, bilge wood, and engine room lagging, requiring tracking under MEPC.269(68) maintenance updates to the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
Acceptance Criteria for Recycling Facility: The set of structural, environmental, and worker safety thresholds a yard must satisfy before a classification society can issue a Statement of Compliance under MEPC.211(63).
Accidental Pollution Control Plan: The contingency document a Hong Kong Convention compliant yard maintains to address oil spills, fires, and chemical releases during dismantling, audited under MEPC.197(62) inspection guidelines.
Accumulated Sludge: Heavy hydrocarbon residue collected in settling tanks, separator sludge tanks, and fuel oil purifier drains, listed as Part II hazardous material under MEPC.269(68).
Acoustic Insulation: Engine room and accommodation block sound-attenuating material that may historically contain asbestos or man-made mineral fibers, sampled during the Initial Inventory of Hazardous Materials survey.
Active IHM: An Inventory of Hazardous Materials kept current with every refit, retrofit, and stores delivery throughout the operational life of the ship, per MEPC.269(68) Part II maintenance procedures.
Additives Inventory: The list of lubricating oil, fuel, and hydraulic system additives carried aboard, declared under Part III stores section of the IHM.
Adhesives Containing Asbestos: Older bonding compounds used on pipe joints, gaskets, and panel fixings that fall under threshold reporting in IHM Part I.
Administrative Authority: The flag state office responsible for issuing the International Certificate on the Inventory of Hazardous Materials and the International Ready for Recycling Certificate.
Adopted Text Date: 15 May 2009, the date the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships was adopted by the IMO diplomatic conference in Hong Kong, China.
Advance Notice of Recycling: The formal communication from the shipowner to the flag administration and the recycling state competent authority before commencement of dismantling under EU SRR Article 9.
Aerosol Canisters: Pressurized stores aboard the ship that must be inventoried in IHM Part III and segregated for safe disposal at the recycling facility.
AFS Convention 2001: The IMO International Convention on the Control of Harmful Anti-fouling Systems on Ships, which prohibited tributyltin antifouling paints worldwide from 17 September 2008.
AFS Statement: The statement of compliance with the AFS Convention 2001, referenced when assessing residual tributyltin coatings during pre-recycling surveys.
Aft Peak Tank Cleaning: The freshwater and chemical cleaning of the aft peak ballast space before hot work commences at the recycling yard.
Agency Fees, Demolition: Commission paid to a brokerage acting between owner and cash buyer, typically expressed in US dollars per light displacement ton.
Air Conditioning Refrigerant Recovery: The mandatory recovery of R-22, R-134a, R-404A, and other refrigerants under IHM Part I controls and the Montreal Protocol obligations.
Air Receiver Decommissioning: The depressurization, venting, and certification of starting air receivers and service air receivers before cutting under the Ship Recycling Plan.
AkzoNobel International Paint: A coatings manufacturer whose Material Declarations and Suppliers Declarations of Conformity feed the IHM Part I database for marine paints.
Aliaga: Ship recycling region near Izmir, Turkey, operating the landing slipway method with HKC and EU-listed facilities.
Aliaga Ship Recyclers Association: The industry body coordinating the Turkish yards at Aliaga, representing facilities such as Leyal, Sok Denizcilik, Simsekler, and Isiksan.
All Fast Wire Cutting: Severance of mooring wires and tug lines after the vessel is brought to its final resting plot at the demolition facility.
Alongside Dismantling: Recycling method with the ship moored to a quay throughout cutting operations.
Aluminum Recovery: The salvage of deckhouse cladding, lifeboat hulls, and electrical busbar aluminum during dismantling, typically priced separately from steel scrap.
Aluminum Tributyltin: A copolymer formulation of TBT antifouling paint banned by the AFS Convention 2001, still detectable on long-life coatings of older tonnage.
Amosite Asbestos: Brown asbestos historically used in marine insulation board and pipe lagging, controlled in IHM Part I Table A.
Anchor and Chain Recovery: The unshackling and removal of bower anchors and stud-link chain cable for resale as marine equipment rather than scrap.
Annex 1 of HKC: Controls on hazardous materials prohibited or restricted for installation or use on ships, covering asbestos, PCBs, ODS, AFS, and PFOS substances.
Annex 2 of HKC: The minimum list of items for the Inventory of Hazardous Materials, used to scope the Visual and Sampling Check Plan.
Annex 3 of HKC: The Authorization of Ship Recycling Facilities template format adopted by competent authorities.
Annex 4 of HKC: The Ship Recycling Facility Plan format and minimum contents required for HKC-compliant yards.
Annex 5 of HKC: The Ship Recycling Plan format covering ship-specific dismantling procedures.
Annex 6 of HKC: The International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials format.
Annex 7 of HKC: The International Ready for Recycling Certificate format.
Anti-fouling Paint Removal: The mechanical or hydroblasting removal of biocidal underwater hull coatings before cutting, with abrasive residue captured under Part II IHM.
Anticipated Steel Yield: The portion of light displacement tonnage that will be recovered as re-rollable plate, rebar feed, or melting scrap, typically 75 to 90 percent of LDT.
Approval of Ship Recycling Plan: The express or tacit approval mechanism by the recycling state competent authority under HKC Regulation 9.
Aquatic Toxicity Profile: The hazard data sheet information required for paint, lubricant, and cleaning product entries in IHM Part III stores.
Arabian Sea Demolition Market: Shorthand for the combined Indian and Pakistani recycling capacity, historically setting global LDT prices alongside Bangladesh.
Arc Cutting Torch: An electric arc tool used inside cargo holds and engine rooms where oxy-fuel cutting is restricted, regulated under the yard hot work permit system.
Asbestos Cement (AC): Older bulkhead board, deck underlay, and ventilation duct material containing chrysotile or amphibole asbestos, requiring controlled removal.
Asbestos Containing Material ACM: Insulation, gaskets, brake linings, and panels confirmed by lab analysis as containing asbestos.
Asbestos Registry: The compiled IHM Part I sub-list mapping each ACM location aboard, with quantities and removal procedures cross-referenced in the Ship Recycling Plan.
Asbestos Survey, Pre-Recycling: The intrusive sampling campaign carried out before the Final Survey to validate the IHM Part I.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: A laboratory analytical method for confirming lead, cadmium, and mercury content in paint and gasket samples taken during IHM development.
Audit Trail, IHM: The documentary chain linking each material declaration to its supplier conformity statement, kept aboard for verification surveys.
Authorization, DASR: The Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling issued by the competent authority of the recycling state to an HKC-compliant yard.
Automatic Identification System Decommissioning: The deregistration and removal of AIS transponders before delivery to the yard, listed under Part III stores controls.
Auxiliary Engine Removal: The disassembly of diesel generator sets for resale as reconditioned units, typical at Alang and Aliaga.

B

Backwall Cutting Plot: A demolition slot positioned against the rear retaining wall of the yard, used at Alang for final cut-down operations.
Ballast Water Residue Sampling: The collection of sediment from segregated ballast tanks during pre-recycling survey to identify biocides, sediments, and invasive species under IHM Part II.
Ban Amendment, Basel: The 1995 amendment to the Basel Convention prohibiting export of hazardous waste from Annex VII parties to non-Annex VII parties, in force from 5 December 2019.
Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association: The industry body representing yard owners in the Chittagong cluster.
Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act 2018: The national legislation governing dismantling operations in Sitakunda, Chittagong, including occupational safety and waste handling provisions.
Bareboat Charterer Liability: The contractual responsibility for IHM maintenance during a bareboat charter period, typically assigned to the disponent owner.
Basel Convention 1989: The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, opened for signature 22 March 1989, entered into force 5 May 1992.
Basel Convention Article 4A: The provision added by the Ban Amendment prohibiting Annex VII to non-Annex VII shipments of hazardous waste.
Basel Convention Technical Guidelines for Ship Dismantling: The guidance document adopted at COP 6 in 2002 providing pre-HKC framework for environmentally sound management.
Beaching Method: Ship recycling technique where the vessel is driven ashore at high tide for dismantling on intertidal flats.
Becker Marine Steering Gear: Equipment commonly cataloged as IHM Part I item with associated lubricants and seals listed in Part III.
Bellingham Yard Records: Historical American west coast recycling records sometimes referenced for legacy vessel due diligence.
Below Decks Cutting: Hot work performed inside the hull after fuel and oil residue removal, requiring gas-free certification under MEPC.197(62).
Bhavnagar District Pollution Control Board: The Gujarat State Pollution Control Board regional office overseeing Alang-Sosiya environmental compliance.
Bidding Memorandum, Demolition: The information sheet circulated by a cash buyer or broker summarizing vessel particulars, LDT, IHM status, and delivery terms.
Bilateral Recognition of Statements of Compliance: The arrangement between flag states accepting Statements of Compliance issued by recognized organizations under MEPC.211(63).
Bilge Holding Tank Residues: The oil-water mixture stored in bilge holding tanks at delivery, declared in IHM Part II and removed before hot work.
Bilge Keel Removal: The cutting and salvage of longitudinal bilge keels, recovered as flat plate steel during early dismantling.
Biocidal Paint Inventory: The catalog of antifouling and biofouling control paints aboard, with active substance percentages declared per IHM Part I Table B controls.
Black Listed Cash Buyers: Operators flagged by NGO Shipbreaking Platform for routing tonnage to substandard yards, named in the annual platform reports.
Blast Furnace Feedstock: A use category for heavy plate and frames recovered from demolition, mainly serving rolling mills in Gujarat and Bangladesh.
Blowing Down: The sequenced depressurization of boilers, steam systems, and pressure vessels prior to cutting, mandated under the Ship Recycling Plan.
BOC Welding and Cutting: A historical industrial gas supplier brand whose oxy-fuel equipment is widely used in recycling yards.
Boiler Drain Down: The complete water removal from main and auxiliary boilers, including economizer sections, before hot cutting begins.
Bow Thruster Tunnel Cutting: The cross-sectional severance of the bow thruster compartment, retaining the thruster unit for resale when condition permits.
Breaker Plot Number: The unique alphanumeric identifier of each Alang plot, ranging from 1 through more than 130 along the Sosiya coast.
Breaking Yard Closure Notice: The formal communication to the competent authority when a facility ceases recycling operations under HKC Regulation 16.
British Standards Institution Verification: Third party verification used by some HKC compliance schemes for management system audits.
Brokerage Net LDT: The deduction from gross LDT for non-recoverable items used in commercial demolition pricing.
Brown Asbestos: Amosite, used historically in pipe lagging and bulkhead insulation, controlled in IHM Part I.
Buoyancy Aid Disposal: The recovery and disposal of lifejacket foam, often containing kapok or polyurethane, listed under Part III stores.
Bureau of Indian Standards Demolition Steel: The reference standard for re-rollable plate recovered from ship recycling and used for construction rebar manufacture.
Burnt Cable Recovery: The controlled burning of insulated cable to recover copper, now banned in EU SRR yards and HKC yards in favor of mechanical stripping.

C

Cable Stripping Mill: The mechanical separator that recovers copper and aluminum from insulated cable bundles harvested during dismantling.
Cabling Inventory: The IHM Part I record of cable runs containing PVC, halogenated insulation, or PCB-bearing fillers.
Cadmium Plating Inventory: The IHM Part I listing of cadmium-coated fasteners and electrical contacts that require segregation at the cutting stage.
Cap Plate Cutting: The severance of horizontal deck plating during block separation, typically the first hot work after gas freeing certification.
Capital Provident Society of Ship Recyclers: A worker welfare scheme operated by Indian recycling industry associations.
Cargo Hold Residue Survey: The pre-recycling sampling of dry bulk hold residues for hazardous cargo traces, recorded under IHM Part II.
Cargo Tank Cleaning Certificate: The document confirming chemical and crude oil tanks have been cleaned to gas-free for hot work standard.
Cash Buyer: Intermediary that purchases ships outright for cash and resells to recycling yards.
Casual Labor Ban: The Hong Kong Convention principle requiring trained, formally engaged workforce, implemented in EU SRR facility audits.
Cathodic Protection Anode Recovery: The removal of zinc, aluminum, and magnesium sacrificial anodes for resale.
CCS Hong Kong Convention Yard Certification: Statements of Compliance issued by China Classification Society for yards in China and Pakistan.
Cement Asbestos Sheeting: Older bulkhead and ceiling lining material historically used in machinery space construction, sampled during IHM development.
Certification of Inventory of Hazardous Materials: The flag administration or recognized organization endorsement issued under MEPC.380(80) survey guidance.
Chain Cable Recovery: The salvage of stud-link anchor chain for resale to fishing, mooring, and aquaculture markets.
Charterer Indemnity, Demolition: The contractual carve-out where a charterer disclaims responsibility for IHM compliance, transferring it to the registered owner.
Chiller Refrigerant Recovery: The Montreal Protocol compliant removal of HCFCs and HFCs from provisions, cargo, and accommodation chillers before yard handover.
Chittagong Sitakunda Cluster: The Bangladesh recycling district north of Chittagong, comprising approximately 150 yards along a 20 kilometer coastal strip.
Chromate Primer Inventory: The IHM Part I record of hexavalent chromium-bearing primer used historically on aluminum superstructures.
Chrysotile Asbestos: White asbestos found in gaskets, packing, and insulation, restricted under SOLAS II-1/3-5 and HKC Annex 1.
Class Survey of Inventory: The classification society attendance for verification of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials in line with MEPC.379(80) and MEPC.380(80).
ClassNK Hong Kong Convention Yard Certification: Statements of Compliance issued by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai for HKC-aligned yards in India, Bangladesh, China, and Turkey.
Cleaning Chemical Inventory: The Part III stores listing of degreasers, tank cleaners, and rust converters carried at delivery.
Closed Cutting Method: A dismantling approach where blocks are removed in covered or enclosed environments to control emissions, used at some European yards.
Cofferdam Cutting: The severance of cofferdam structures separating fuel and ballast tanks, typically performed after gas free certification.
Cold Cutting: Mechanical cutting methods used where hot work is unsafe, including saws and hydraulic shears.
Combination Carrier Recycling: The dismantling of OBO and OO carriers requiring extensive pre-cleaning of both oil and dry bulk residues.
Common Effluent Treatment Plant: The shared wastewater treatment facility operated by Alang recyclers for plot runoff and process water.
Compagnie Maritime Belge Demolition Records: Historical company-specific recycling records used for legacy vessel due diligence.
Competent Authority, Recycling State: The government authority designated under HKC Article 2 to authorize and supervise recycling facilities, such as the Gujarat Maritime Board for Alang.
Composite Material Inventory: The IHM Part I record of glass-reinforced plastic, carbon fiber, and sandwich panels aboard the ship.
Compressed Gas Cylinder Inventory: The Part III stores listing of acetylene, oxygen, nitrogen, and CO2 cylinders carried at delivery.
Concorde Industries: An Alang-based recycler operating multiple plots, periodically named in EU List screening assessments.
Contracting States to HKC: Sovereign parties that have deposited instruments of ratification or accession, including Bangladesh, India, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ghana, Norway, Panama, Singapore, Turkey, the Netherlands, and…
COSCO Shipping Recycling Yard: A Chinese ship recycling facility historically operating at Jiangyin and Zhoushan within the COSCO group.
Cradle Cut: The severance of the ship into a single bow or stern unit for final movement up the beach by winches.
Crew Repatriation, Final Voyage: The arrangement returning seafarers home before the vessel reaches the recycling yard, distinct from yard worker provisions.
Cross Border Movement of Wastes: The Basel Convention scope covering hazardous waste shipments, intersecting with HKC implementation through Decision IX/30.
Cutting Permit System: The yard hot work authorization regime required under MEPC.197(62) yard inspection guidance.
Cylinder Liner Recovery: The salvage of main engine and auxiliary engine liners for reconditioning and resale.

D

Daewoo Shipbuilding Records: Builder-specific Material Declarations relied on by IHM developers for newer Korean-built tonnage.
Darukhana Ship Breaking Yard: A historic recycling cluster on the eastern Mumbai waterfront, now substantially curtailed compared with Alang.
DASR: The Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling, issued by the recycling state competent authority under HKC Regulation 16.
DASR Renewal Cycle: The five-year maximum validity period for the Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling.
De-Bunkering Plan: The Ship Recycling Plan section governing the safe removal of residual bunker fuel before hot work commences.
Deck Covering Inventory: The IHM Part I record of magnesite, latex, and polymer deck underlays that may contain regulated materials.
Decommissioning Notice: The owner notification to the flag state of intent to recycle, paired with the application for the Ready for Recycling Certificate.
Deep Drain Cleaning: The high-pressure jetting of cargo and slop tank drainage systems before gas free certification.
Delivery Date, Demolition: The contractually defined date and place at which the cash buyer or yard takes possession of the vessel for recycling.
Demolition Cash Buyer: A specialist intermediary that purchases tonnage for recycling resale, including GMS, Wirana Shipping (Singapore), Best Oasis (Mumbai), Lotus Shipping (Mumbai), Star Asia (Hong Kong), Sea Trade…
Demolition Sale Memorandum of Agreement: The standard form contract used in end-of-life sales, typically based on the BIMCO Recyclecon or Demolishcon templates.
Demolition Tonnage Statistics: The annual reporting by IHS Markit, Clarksons, and NGO Shipbreaking Platform of gross tonnage and LDT broken globally.
Design Service Life Extension: The owner decision to defer recycling through additional special surveys, affecting IHM maintenance schedules.
DG Environment, European Commission: The directorate responsible for the EU Ship Recycling Regulation administration and the EU List of approved facilities.
Diamond Cut: A precision oxy-fuel separation cut used to retain hull blocks for resale rather than scrap.
Diesel Generator Salvage: The recovery and reconditioning of auxiliary engine alternator sets for second-hand sale.
DNV Hong Kong Convention Yard Certification: Statements of Compliance issued by DNV for facilities in India, Turkey, and Europe.
Document of Compliance, Yard: A separate yard certification verifying conformity with national legislation and HKC principles, distinct from the DASR.
Domestic Recycling: The dismantling of a vessel under the flag of the same state as the recycling facility, with simplified procedural pathways under HKC.
Donaldson Filtration Systems: A typical IHM Part III stores manufacturer entry for engine room consumables.
Drain Down Certificate: The yard-issued document confirming complete water and hydrocarbon removal from a system before hot work.
Dry Bulk Carrier Recycling Volume: A category in annual demolition statistics, dominated by Capesize and Panamax tonnage at Alang and Chittagong.
Dry Cell Battery Inventory: The Part III stores listing of portable battery types aboard the ship at delivery.
Dry-Dock Dismantling: A recycling method where the vessel is fully enclosed within a dry dock, used at several European and Chinese facilities to contain emissions.
Dual Fuel Engine Decommissioning: The procedure for purging LNG fuel systems and inerting gas piping before recycling, increasingly relevant for newer tonnage.
Due Diligence Audit, Cash Buyer: The compliance review by cargo owners, financiers, and charterers of the recycling supply chain selected for a vessel.

E

EC Inspection of Listed Facility: The European Commission verification visit to a yard on the EU List of approved ship recycling facilities, required for re-listing decisions.
Eco Mar Industries: A Bhavnagar-area recycler historically associated with HKC compliance upgrades in Alang.
Effluent Discharge Permit: The state pollution control board authorization for treated wastewater discharge from a recycling facility.
Electrical Cable Insulation Inventory: The IHM Part I record of halogenated cable insulation across the ship's distribution network.
Electrolytic Antifouling System Inventory: The IHM Part I record of impressed current antifouling installations, requiring controlled removal of copper anodes.
Emergency Response Plan, Yard: The HKC-mandated yard procedure for spills, fires, structural collapses, and worker injuries.
Emission Control Equipment Recovery: The salvage of selective catalytic reduction units, scrubbers, and exhaust gas economizers, often containing precious metals and hazardous catalysts.
End-of-Life Vessel: Ship intended for recycling as its next disposition.
Engine Room Insulation Removal: The controlled stripping of asbestos-containing and man-made mineral fiber insulation before hot work.
Engineering Estimate of Net LDT: The independent calculation of light displacement tonnage applied during demolition pricing.
Enterprise Bargaining, Recycling Yards: Worker remuneration and welfare agreements negotiated through national recycling industry associations.
Environmental Management Plan, Yard: The HKC and EU SRR mandated documentation of yard environmental controls.
Environmental Monitoring Plan: The yard sampling regime for soil, sediment, water, and air quality required under MEPC.211(63).
EU List of Approved Ship Recycling Facilities: The European Commission published list of yards permitted to recycle EU-flagged vessels, comprising facilities in EU member states, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India.
EU Ship Recycling Regulation: Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 on ship recycling, fully applicable since 31 December 2018.
EU SRR Article 9 Ready for Recycling Certificate: The certificate required for EU-flagged ships before delivery to a listed facility.
EU SRR Inventory Requirement: The Article 5 obligation for an Inventory of Hazardous Materials covering EU-flagged ships and non-EU flag ships calling at EU ports.
EU SRR Penalties Regime: The Article 22 framework requiring member states to establish proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.
EU SRR Survey Cycle: The initial, additional, and renewal survey scheme aligned with HKC for IHM verification.
European Maritime Safety Agency Guidance: EMSA work on cybersecurity awareness and best practice for the EU shipping sector.
Excluded Vessels under HKC: Warships, naval auxiliaries, and government-operated non-commercial ships, exempted from convention requirements but subject to flag administration policy.
Existing Ship Inventory Schedule: The IHM development schedule for in-service vessels under the HKC and EU SRR transition provisions.
Explosion Risk Assessment, Yard: The pre-cut documentation of residual hydrocarbon and chemical hazards inside fuel and cargo spaces.
Exporting State: The state from which an end-of-life vessel is dispatched for recycling, with notification duties under the Basel Convention.

F

Facility Audit, Initial: The first comprehensive on-site inspection of a yard by the competent authority or recognized organization, leading to DASR issuance.
Facility Plan Update Frequency: The HKC requirement that the Ship Recycling Facility Plan be reviewed regularly and updated upon any material change.
Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry Demolition Records: A source of historical bunker fuel and additive composition data used in IHM Part II declarations.
Ferrum Atlantic: A cash buyer historically active in end-of-life vessel acquisition for the Indian sub-continent demolition market.
Final Cut: The severance of the last hull section into its primary blocks for plot clearance.
Final Survey, HKC: The verification survey carried out after the IHM Part II and Part III have been updated immediately before recycling, leading to the IRRC.
Fire Damper Inventory: The IHM Part I record of fire dampers that may contain asbestos sealing material.
First Cut: Initial primary cutting operation, often a large section forward of the engine room.
Flag State Endorsement of IRRC: The administration's confirmation of the International Ready for Recycling Certificate before delivery to the yard.
Float and Flood Method: A controlled refloating and dismantling technique used at certain Chinese and European yards with tidal access.
Foam Insulation Inventory: The IHM Part I record of polyurethane and other foam insulations and their blowing agents.
Fornaes A/S: A Danish ship recycling yard listed on the EU List of approved facilities, located in Grenaa, Denmark.
Forty Year Old Tonnage Demolition Trend: The market observation that ships above 40 years of age comprise a growing share of demolition deliveries.
Fragmentation Plant: A heavy shear and shredder installation for processing recovered steel into furnace-ready scrap.
Free of Gas Certificate: The chemist or competent person certificate stating a tank or compartment is gas-free for hot work.
Fresh Water Generator Recovery: The salvage of evaporators and reverse osmosis units, often resold to coastal operators.
Fuel Oil Sampling Plan: The pre-recycling Hydrocarbon characterization of residual fuel for safe handling and disposal categorization.

G

Gadani Ship Breaking Yard: The Pakistani recycling cluster on the Balochistan coast approximately 50 kilometers north of Karachi, with about 130 plots historically permitted.
Galloo Ghent: A Belgian recycling facility on the Ghent canal listed on the EU List of approved ship recycling facilities, owned by the Galloo group.
Gangway Cutting Sequence: The standard removal order for accommodation gangways prior to deckhouse dismantling.
Gas Free Inspection Authority: A licensed third-party chemist or marine surveyor authorized to issue gas free certificates.
Gas-free certificate: Certificate before hot work in tanks.
General Arrangement Drawing, IHM Mapping: The base technical drawing onto which IHM locations are overlaid in the Visual and Sampling Check Plan.
Generator Set Salvage: The recovery and reconditioning of auxiliary generator sets for resale.
Genoa Container Recycling Record: Italian port records used for legacy hazardous material due diligence on European feeder tonnage.
GHG Emissions, Demolition: The greenhouse gas footprint of recycling operations, increasingly tracked under yard environmental reporting.
Global Cement Manufacturer Demolition Steel Use: A downstream use of demolition steel for clinker grinding mills and rebar feed in Indian cement complexes.
Globally Harmonized System Labeling: The GHS classification used for hazardous materials stored, generated, or removed at the recycling yard.
GMS: One of the largest international cash buyers of end-of-life vessels, headquartered in Dubai with offices in Hamburg, New York, and Singapore.
Grading of Steel Scrap: The classification of recovered steel into heavy melting scrap, re-rollable plate, and structural sections for downstream sale.
Green Passport, Pre-IHM: The earlier IMO concept under MEPC.A.962(23) that evolved into the Inventory of Hazardous Materials under HKC.
Green Ship Recycling Yard: A colloquial term for an HKC-compliant facility holding a recognized organization-issued Statement of Compliance.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, IHM Part III: The reporting of CO2-equivalent refrigerants and fuels carried at delivery to recycling.
Greenpeace Briefing on Shipbreaking: NGO advocacy materials informing the policy debate on yard standards and Basel-HKC interaction.
Gross Tonnage Threshold, EU SRR: The 500 GT and above scope criterion for EU SRR application to commercial vessels.
Gross Tonnage Threshold, HKC: The 500 GT and above scope criterion for the Hong Kong Convention.
Gujarat Maritime Board: The state authority overseeing Alang-Sosiya and other Gujarat coastal facilities, the competent authority for HKC implementation in the Alang cluster.
Gujarat State Pollution Control Board: The environmental regulator for Alang-Sosiya yard discharges and emissions.

H

Halon Inventory: The IHM Part I record of Halon 1211 and 1301 fire suppression installations, controlled under the Montreal Protocol and HKC Annex 1.
Hazardous Material Threshold Concentration: The percentage by weight above which a substance must be declared in the IHM, typically 0.1 percent for asbestos and similar restricted materials.
Hazardous Waste Manifest: Tracking document for hazardous materials leaving the yard for final disposal.
HCFC-22 Inventory: The IHM Part I record of R-22 refrigerant installations subject to Montreal Protocol phase-out.
Heat Transfer Oil Inventory: The IHM Part II declaration of synthetic heat transfer oils in cargo heating systems, which may contain regulated chemistries.
Heavy Fuel Oil Residue Disposal: The categorized removal of HFO sludge and tank washings before hot work begins, recorded in the SRP.
High Voltage Switchgear Decommissioning: The de-energization, lockout, and removal of medium and high voltage switchgear, with SF6 gas recovery where applicable.
HKC: Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
HKC Entry into Force: 26 June 2025, 24 months after the threshold conditions (15 contracting states representing at least 40 percent of world merchant shipping tonnage and combined annual recycling volume of not less…
HKC Regulation 11 IRRC: The International Ready for Recycling Certificate issuance procedure following the final survey.
HKC Regulation 16 Yard Authorization: The requirement for the Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling.
HKC Regulation 17 Yard Communications: The reporting from the yard to the competent authority on recycling activities.
HKC Regulation 5 Surveys: The initial, renewal, and additional surveys for the International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
HKC Regulation 8 Final Survey: The verification survey before recycling, addressing IHM Parts II and III and the approved Ship Recycling Plan.
HKC Regulation 9 Ship Recycling Plan Approval: The express or tacit approval mechanism by the recycling state competent authority.
HKC Resolution MEPC.196(62): Survey and certification guidelines, adopted in 2011.
HKC Resolution MEPC.197(62): Inspection guidelines, adopted in 2011.
HKC Resolution MEPC.210(63): Inventory of Hazardous Materials guidelines, adopted in 2012.
HKC Resolution MEPC.211(63): Authorization of ship recycling facilities guidelines, adopted in 2012.
HKC Resolution MEPC.222(64): Ship Recycling Plan guidelines, adopted in 2012.
HKC Resolution MEPC.223(64): Statement of Compliance guidelines, adopted in 2012.
HKC Resolution MEPC.269(68): Revised IHM guidelines covering Part I, Part II, and Part III maintenance, adopted in 2015.
HKC Resolution MEPC.379(80): Revised guidelines for inspection of ships, adopted in 2023.
HKC Resolution MEPC.380(80): Revised guidelines for survey and certification of ships, adopted in 2023.
HKC Resolution MEPC.381(80): Revised guidelines for authorization of ship recycling facilities, adopted in 2023.
HKC Statement of Compliance, Yard: The recognized organization document confirming yard conformity with the convention, often issued by ClassNK, Lloyd's Register, DNV, or RINA.
Hold Cleaning Certificate, Pre-Recycling: The yard or chemist certificate confirming bulk carrier holds are free of cargo residues and gas-free.
Hot Spot Sampling: The intrusive sampling of suspected ACM, PCB, or coating locations during the IHM development.
Hot Work Permit System: The integrated yard procedure for authorizing cutting and welding tasks during dismantling, audited under MEPC.197(62).
Hull Block Severance Sequence: The structural sequencing plan for cutting the ship into transportable sections, included in the Ship Recycling Plan.
Hydraulic Oil Disposal: The categorized removal of hydraulic system oils from steering gear, cranes, and watertight door systems before hot work.
Hydroblasting: Ultra-high-pressure water jetting used for paint removal and surface preparation without abrasive.

I

IHM: Inventory of Hazardous Materials required under HKC and EU SRR.
IHM Coordinator Role: The shipboard officer or shore-based representative responsible for keeping the IHM current under MEPC.269(68).
IHM Database Software: The classification society and third-party systems supporting IHM development, maintenance, and reporting throughout vessel life.
IHM Development Project: The newbuilding or in-service campaign producing the initial Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
IHM Expert: The trained professional certified to conduct visual and sampling checks for IHM development under MEPC.269(68).
IHM Maintenance: The continuous updating of IHM Part I, II, and III throughout the ship's operational life.
IHM Part I: Materials contained in ship structure and equipment.