Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Ship Recycling and End-of-Life glossary

The ship-recycling vocabulary: above-tide and beaching-yard zones, acceptance letters and accredited laboratories for IHM sampling, sequenced block cutting (aft cut), and the dismantling process. Grounds each term in the Hong Kong Convention and the IHM regime that govern safe and environmentally sound recycling.

369 defined terms.

Showing 250 on this page (page 1 of 2).

A

Abandonment of ship: Decision by the master to evacuate, typically by lifeboat, liferaft, or rescue craft.
Above-Tide Zone: Beaching yard area above high-water mark where secondary cutting and material sorting occur.
Acceptance Letter: Ship recycling facility's written confirmation accepting a vessel for dismantling under a specific contract.
Accredited Laboratory: ISO/IEC 17025 lab performing analysis of IHM samples for asbestos, PCBs, heavy metals, and ODS.
Aft Cut: Sequenced removal of stern block including rudder, propeller, and steering gear during dismantling.
Agency fee: Charge by a carrier or NVOCC for documentation and local representation.
Air Sampling: Workplace monitoring for airborne asbestos fibers and welding fumes during dismantling.
Alang-Sosiya: Ship recycling cluster in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India, with approximately 150 plots and the world's largest dismantling capacity.
Aliaga: Ship recycling region near Izmir, Turkey, operating the landing slipway method with HKC and EU-listed facilities.
Alongside Dismantling: Recycling method with the ship moored to a quay throughout cutting operations.
Anchor Chain Cable: Recovered ferrous item sold by length and grade after detachment from windlass.
Anchor pocket: Recess in the hull plating to house the anchor flukes when stowed.
Annex VII Party: Basel Convention category covering OECD, EU member states, and Liechtenstein for the Ban Amendment.
Anti-Fouling System AFS: Hull coating regulated under the IMO AFS Convention 2001, listed in IHM if TBT or cybutryne is present.
Approval in Principle (AiP): class statement that a novel concept is feasible against applicable rules pending detailed design.
Approved IHM: Inventory of Hazardous Materials Part I endorsed by the flag administration or a recognized organization.
As-Is Where-Is: NSF/RECYCLECON delivery condition transferring the ship to the cash buyer in present state and location.
Asbestos: Fibrous silicate banned in new ship installations from 1 January 2011 under SOLAS II-1/3-5, listed in IHM Table A.
Asbestos Containing Material ACM: Insulation, gaskets, brake linings, and panels confirmed by lab analysis as containing asbestos.
Asbestos Removal Permit: Authorization issued by national OSH authority for licensed asbestos abatement contractors.
Authorization of Ship Recycling Facility: Competent authority approval under HKC Regulation 16 and MEPC.211(63).
Authorized Ship Recycling Facility ASRF: Yard holding a current Document of Authorization to recycle ships DASR.

B

Back-to-Back Sale: Cash buyer arrangement reselling the ship to a recycler on matching contractual terms.
Ballast Tank Cleaning: Pre-recycling preparation removing sediment, residues, and oily water before hot work.
Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association BSBRA: Industry association representing Chittagong recycling yards.
Bareboat Charter Registry: Flag arrangement sometimes used for the final voyage to a recycling destination.
Basel Ban Amendment: Decision III/1 in force 5 December 2019 prohibiting hazardous waste exports from Annex VII to non-Annex VII parties.
Basel Convention: 1989 treaty on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, in force 5 May 1992.
Basel Technical Guidelines: Guidance on environmentally sound management of waste, including ship dismantling adopted at COP-7 2004.
Beach Gradient: Tidal slope at recycling sites such as Alang, dictating draft at which vessels can be beached.
Beaching Method: Ship recycling technique where the vessel is driven ashore at high tide for dismantling on intertidal flats.
Beaching Permission: Maritime board approval required before a vessel can be run aground at an Indian recycling plot.
Below-Tide Zone: Intertidal area of a beaching yard where primary cuts are performed.
Best Oasis: Cash buyer group active in the ship recycling market.
Bilge Water: Oily water accumulated in machinery spaces, removed and treated before hot work.
BIMCO RECYCLECON: 2012 standard contract for the sale of vessels for green recycling.
Block Coefficient Effect: Hull form parameter influencing the LDT estimate used in demolition pricing.
Blue Asbestos: Crocidolite, the most hazardous asbestos type historically used in marine insulation.
BlueBriefs: Market intelligence service publishing demolition prices and recycling activity reports.
Bonded Cargo Residues: Customs-controlled residues that must be discharged before delivery to the recycling yard.
Brokerage Commission: Demolition broker's fee, typically a percentage of the LDT price.
Brownfield Yard: Recycling facility on a historically contaminated site requiring soil remediation.
Brownsville: Texas Gulf port hosting US ship recycling facilities including ESCO Marine and International Shipbreaking Limited.
Bulkhead Removal: Sequential cutting of transverse and longitudinal bulkheads during interior dismantling.
Bunker Survey at Delivery: Quantity verification of remaining fuel oil, diesel oil, and lub oil at handover.
Buyer's Nomination: Cash buyer's selection of the final recycling facility under the sale contract.

C

Cable Recovery: Stripping of copper conductors from electrical cabling, often a significant secondary income stream.
Cadmium: Heavy metal listed in IHM Table A, found in pigments, batteries, and corrosion-resistant coatings.
Capesize Demolition: Recycling of capesize bulk carriers, sensitive to dry bulk freight cycles.
Cash Buyer: Intermediary that purchases ships outright for cash and resells to recycling yards.
Caustic Cleaning: Tank cleaning method using alkaline solutions before gas-freeing.
Cement Carrier Demolition: Recycling of self-discharging cement vessels, frequently with heavy structural reinforcement.
Certificate of Class Withdrawal: Class society document confirming the ship has ceased to be classed for recycling.
Certificate of Inventory of Hazardous Materials: International certificate under HKC Regulation 5 and Appendix 3.
Change of Flag: Re-registration of the ship to a recycling-friendly flag before delivery, often to St Kitts and Nevis or Comoros.
Chittagong: Bangladesh ship recycling cluster on the Sitakunda coast north of Chittagong port.
Chlorofluorocarbons CFC: Class I ODS regulated under the Montreal Protocol, listed in IHM Table A.
Clarksons Demolition Monitor: Clarkson Research weekly publication of demolition prices and recycling sales.
Class Withdrawal Notice: Formal notification to flag and underwriters that the ship will no longer be classed.
Cleaning for Hot Work Certificate: Marine chemist or competent person certification that spaces are safe for cutting.
Closed-Loop Recycling: Reuse of recovered steel within the steel industry via re-rolling or melting.
Coast Guard NOC: No-Objection Certificate from the Indian Coast Guard before beaching, addressing pollution preparedness.
Cold Cutting: Mechanical cutting methods used where hot work is unsafe, including saws and hydraulic shears.
Combined IHM and EU SRR Audit: Integrated verification covering HKC IHM and EU Regulation 1257/2013 requirements.
Comoros Flag: Open registry occasionally used for last-voyage flag changes.
Competent Authority: Government authority designated under HKC or Basel Convention to administer recycling rules.
Confined Space Entry Permit: Written authorization to enter tanks, voids, or cofferdams after gas-freeing.
Containerized Asbestos Waste: Asbestos packed in labeled, sealed containers for licensed landfill disposal.
Contract Price LDT: Demolition price expressed in USD per light displacement tonne.
Controlled Detonation: Use of cutting charges for selected heavy structures, regulated by explosives authorities.
Convention Reception Facility: Port facility receiving residues, ozone-depleting substances, and oily waste under MARPOL.
Conventionally Recycled Vessel: Ship dismantled without HKC certification, typically pre-2025.
COP Conference of the Parties: Decision-making body of the Basel Convention.
Copper Bus Bar: High-value non-ferrous item recovered from switchboards.
Crew Repatriation: Sign-off and return of the seafarers at the recycling port before dismantling begins.
Cybutryne: Anti-fouling biocide also known as Irgarol 1051, banned under the AFS Convention amendment in force 1 January 2023.

D

Daily Wage Worker: Casual labor employed at recycling yards on a per-day basis.
Decanting: Transfer of residual oils between tanks to consolidate before discharge to reception facilities.
Decision (EU) 2018/1906: Updated European List of ship recycling facilities.
Decision 2016/2323: First European List of Ship Recycling Facilities under Regulation 1257/2013.
Decommissioning: End-of-life removal or making safe of offshore facilities.
Delivery Port: Location where the ship is handed over from seller to cash buyer or recycler.
Demolition Broker: Intermediary arranging sale of vessels between owners and cash buyers.
Demolition Sale: Transaction in which a ship is sold for the purpose of recycling.
Designated Person Ashore Recycling DPA: Shore management figure under the SRP responsible for recycling oversight.
Detached Block: Section of hull or superstructure separated from the main body during primary cutting.
Diesel Generator Recovery: Removal and sale of auxiliary generators, often refurbished for reuse.
Dismantling Plan: Sequence drawing showing the order of structural removal of the vessel.
Document of Authorization to recycle Ships DASR: HKC certificate for recycling facilities under Regulation 16.
Down Cycling: Lower-grade reuse of recovered materials such as re-rolled mild steel sections.
Drain-Down: Removal of liquids from hydraulic, lubrication, and cooling systems before cutting.
Drift Anchor Recovery: Salvage of bow and stern anchors prior to beaching.
Dry-Dock Recycling: Dismantling method conducted entirely within a dry dock with full containment.
Dual Certification: Vessel holding both HKC IHM Certificate and EU SRR IHM Certificate.

E

Early Termination Clause: Contract provision allowing cancellation if the ship cannot be delivered or recycled.
End-of-Life Vessel: Ship intended for recycling as its next disposition.
Environmental Impact Assessment EIA: Assessment required before the establishment or expansion of a recycling yard.
EQUASIS Recycling Status: Public flag of last-voyage transactions in the EQUASIS database.
EU Adopted Decision 2023: Update adding further facilities to the European List of Ship Recycling Facilities.
EU Ship Recycling Regulation EU SRR: Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013 of 20 November 2013, recycling obligations in force 30 December 2018.
EU SRR Application Form: Standardized application for inclusion of a non-EU yard on the European List.
European List of Ship Recycling Facilities: List of facilities authorized to recycle EU-flagged ships under Regulation 1257/2013, approximately 50 entries as of 2024.
European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA): EU agency for maritime safety based in Lisbon.
Exit Survey: Final survey before issuing the International Ready for Recycling Certificate.
Explosive Atmosphere Test: Measurement for lower explosive limit before hot work in tanks.
Export Notification: Basel Convention transboundary movement document for hazardous waste.
Eyes of the Ship: Forepeak section, typically among the first detachable units in beaching dismantling.

F

Facility Compliance Audit: Third-party verification of a recycling yard against HKC and EU SRR requirements.
Fall protection: harness, anchor, and lanyard required at height per OSHA/EN 363.
Federal Maritime Commission FMC: US regulator with interest in international demolition transactions.
Ferro Scrap: Steel scrap obtained from recycling, sold to re-rolling mills and EAF steelworks.
Ferrous Recovery: Aggregate steel and iron output from a recycled vessel, typically 90 to 95 percent of LDT.
Final Acceptance: Recycler's confirmation that the vessel meets contract condition on arrival at the yard.
Final Survey: HKC survey under Regulation 10.4 prior to dismantling, leading to the IRRC.
First Cut: Initial primary cutting operation, often a large section forward of the engine room.
Flag of Convenience FOC: Open registry flag sometimes used for last voyages.
Floating Storage Vessel Recycling: Specialized dismantling of FSO and FPSO units after hydrocarbon decontamination.
Frederikshavn: Danish port hosting Modern American Recycling Services Europe and other dismantling facilities.
Free Issue Material: Items reserved by the seller and not transferred to the recycler under the sale contract.
Freon Recovery: Capture of refrigerants from refrigeration plants prior to hot work.
Fume Extraction: Ventilation system extracting cutting fumes from enclosed work areas.

G

Gadani: Pakistan ship recycling beach in Balochistan, about 50 km west of Karachi.
Galvanic Battery Removal: Decommissioning of cathodic protection systems and removal of sacrificial anodes.
Gas Carrier Demolition: Recycling of LNG and LPG carriers requiring specialized purging of cargo tanks.
Gas Cutter: Worker performing oxy-fuel cutting of hull plates and structural steel.
Gas Free for Hot Work: Status permitting cutting and welding in a designated space.
Gas-free certificate: Certificate before hot work in tanks.
GMS Global Marketing Systems: Cash buyer headquartered in Dubai, publisher of the GMS Weekly Report.
GMS Weekly Report: Industry-standard recycling market report covering LDT prices and supply by sub-continent location.
Green Channel: Yard practice maintaining segregated handling and storage of hazardous materials.
Green Recycling: Recycling conducted in line with HKC or EU SRR standards.
Green Ship Recycling Yard Subsidy Scheme India: Government incentive scheme supporting HKC compliance upgrades.
Grey water: Drainage from sinks, showers, and galley, segregated from sewage on most ships.
Gross tonnage (GT): Volumetric measure per ITC 1969 GT = K1*V.

H

Halons: Class I ODS in fire-fighting systems regulated under the Montreal Protocol, listed in IHM Table A.
Handling Procedure for Hazardous Materials: Documented yard procedure required under HKC and EU SRR.
Hazardous Material Storage Area: Designated secure area at a recycling facility for asbestos, PCBs, and ODS.
Hazardous Waste Manifest: Tracking document for hazardous materials leaving the yard for final disposal.
HazMat Expert HME: Qualified person who develops the IHM following IMO MEPC.269(68).
Heavy Lift Crane Recovery: Salvage of cargo gear, typically refurbished and resold.
Hexavalent Chromium Cr VI: Heavy metal listed in IHM Table A, found in certain coatings and surface treatments.
High Tide Beaching Window: Spring tide period when deepest-draft vessels can be beached at Alang or Chittagong.
HKC: Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Hong Kong Convention Entry into Force: 26 June 2025, twenty-four months after the conditions of Article 17 were met by Bangladesh, Liberia, and Pakistan ratifications in June 2023.
Hot work permit: Yard/onboard permit before welding/cutting.
Houston: Texas port hosting US ship recycling facilities including former Marine Metals operations.
Hull Cleaning Pre-Beaching: Pre-arrival hull and tank cleaning to limit pollution risk on beaching.
Hydrocarbon Free Certificate: Confirmation of removal of fuel and lubricant residues from tanks and pipes.

I

IHM: Inventory of Hazardous Materials required under HKC and EU SRR.
IHM Approval Process: Document review, visual sampling, lab analysis, and class society endorsement.
IHM Data Table: Itemized list of materials, quantities, and locations forming the body of Part I.
IHM Maintenance Plan IMP: Procedure for keeping the IHM up to date throughout the ship's operating life.
IHM Part I: Materials contained in ship structure and equipment.
IHM Part II: Operationally generated wastes.
IHM Part III: Stores on board at the time of recycling.
IHM Renewal Survey: Periodic survey verifying continued accuracy of the IHM, aligned with class renewal.
IMDG Code Residues: Dangerous cargo residues subject to additional cleaning before delivery for recycling.
IMO MEPC.196(62): 2011 Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
IMO MEPC.210(63): 2012 Guidelines for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling.
IMO MEPC.211(63): 2012 Guidelines for the Authorization of Ship Recycling Facilities.
IMO MEPC.222(64): 2012 Guidelines for the Survey and Certification of Ships under the HKC.
IMO MEPC.223(64): 2012 Guidelines for the Inspection of Ships under the HKC.
IMO MEPC.269(68): 2015 revised Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
IMO Ship Identification Number: Permanent vessel identifier referenced on recycling documents.
Imported Beached Ship: Vessel arriving at an Indian or Bangladeshi yard via beaching for recycling.
Indian Flag Conversion: Re-flagging to India for inland beaching transactions.
Indian Ship Recycling Code 2024: National implementing rules for the HKC under the Recycling of Ships Act 2019.
Initial Survey: First survey before issuance of a certificate under SOLAS I/7-10.
Inspection of Recycling: Port State control inspection of HKC documents and visible IHM compliance.
International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials: HKC certificate Form IHM, valid five years.
International Labour Organization ILO Guidelines: 2004 Safety and Health in Shipbreaking guidelines.
International Ready for Recycling Certificate IRRC: HKC certificate issued after final survey and approval of the SRP.
International Ship Recycling Association ISRA: Industry body promoting safe and environmentally sound recycling.
Inventory of Hazardous Materials Certificate: Certificate evidencing approval of the IHM Part I.
Inventory Verification Survey: Survey confirming the IHM accuracy before issuance of the IRRC.
IRRC Validity: Limited to a single voyage to a named recycling facility, generally up to three months.

J

Jiangsu Ship Recycling Association: Provincial industry body coordinating yards on the Yangtze.
Jiangyin: Chinese ship recycling cluster in Jiangsu Province operating dry-dock and alongside methods.
Joint Audit HKC and EU SRR: Combined assessment used by class societies and EU teams visiting non-EU yards.
Joint Industry Working Group: Coordination forum involving owners, recyclers, and class societies on HKC implementation.
Jurisdictional Approval: Confirmation that a recycling yard meets the legal requirements of its host state.

K

Karachi Port Authority: Pakistani port authority indirectly involved with Gadani recycling logistics.
Keel Block Removal: Final stage of dismantling at landing slipway yards where the keel is sectioned.
Kerosene Decanting: Removal of stove and emergency kerosene fuels before recycling.
Key Performance Indicators KPI: Yard metrics for safety, environmental performance, and HKC compliance.
Klaipeda: Lithuanian port hosting EU-listed ship recycling facilities including Vakaru Baltijos Laivu Statykla.

L

Lab Analysis: Quantitative chemical testing of suspect samples for IHM materials.
Labor Migrant: Worker relocating from inland regions to recycling yards, typical at Chittagong and Alang.
Landing Pier Method: Recycling method with the bow pulled up a concrete slipway, used at Aliaga.
LDT Light Displacement Tonnage: Mass of the empty ship without fuel, ballast, stores, or cargo, the demolition pricing base.
Lead: Sounding weight on a marked line.
Leveed Cutting Zone: Bunded area of a yard preventing oil and water runoff during cutting.
Liberia Flag Recycling Notification: Notification required by the Liberian Registry for last-voyage flag retention.
Licensed Asbestos Handler: Worker certified to remove and pack ACM at the yard.
Lifeboat Removal: Detachment and disposal or sale of lifeboats, davits, and life rafts.
Light Displacement Calculation: Engineering method to estimate LDT from drawings or builder's information.
Limited Life Extension: Class society extension of validity for a final voyage to the recycling yard.
Liquid Waste Receiving Facility: Onshore facility accepting bilge water, sludge, and waste oils.
Lockout-Tagout LOTO: Energy isolation procedure for electrical and hydraulic systems during cutting.
Low Sulphur Fuel Residues: Residual VLSFO requiring proper management during pre-recycling cleaning.
Lube Oil Recovery: Recovery of crankcase and gear lubricants for reuse or disposal.

M

Manifest of Hazardous Wastes: Tracking document for off-yard transport of asbestos, PCBs, and ODS.
Marine Chemist: Certified specialist issuing gas-free and hot work certificates.
Marine Mammal Protection: Pre-beaching considerations limiting impact on coastal fauna.
Mariners Final Voyage Pay: Crew wages, repatriation, and bonuses managed as the ship proceeds to recycling.
Maritime Labour Convention 2006 MLC: ILO instrument applicable up to repatriation of crew at the recycling port.
Material Declaration MD: Supplier-issued IHM data on materials in products and equipment.
MD-SDoC Process: Material Declaration plus Supplier's Declaration of Conformity in IHM development.
MEPC Marine Environment Protection Committee: IMO committee adopting HKC implementing guidelines.
Mercury: Heavy metal listed in IHM Table A, found in switches, lamps, and thermometers.
Mercury Switch Removal: Targeted removal program for hazardous mercury-containing components.
Mesothelioma Risk: Long-latency cancer associated with asbestos exposure in recycling workers.
Methane Inerting: Use of inert gas to render cargo tanks safe in gas carrier recycling.
Mild Steel Plate Recovery: Recovery of hull plating, the largest single output by mass.
Monitoring of Hazardous Materials: Yard environmental monitoring under HKC Regulation 22.
Montreal Protocol Linkage: HKC IHM incorporates ODS listed under the Montreal Protocol.

N

National Action Plan: State plan to implement HKC obligations within a jurisdiction.
National Authority for Recycling: Designated competent authority for ship recycling under HKC Regulation 8.
National Green Tribunal NGT: Indian environmental tribunal that has heard several Alang ship recycling cases.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform: Brussels-based coalition advocating against beaching and for HKC and Basel compliance.
Non-Annex VII Country: Country outside the OECD, EU, and Liechtenstein, restricted under the Basel Ban Amendment.
Non-Beaching Method: Alongside, landing slipway, or dry-dock recycling as alternatives to tidal beaching.
Non-Ferrous Recovery: Copper, brass, aluminium, and lead components recovered separately for non-ferrous mills.
Norwegian Saleform 2012 NSF: Standard sale and purchase form occasionally used for as-is demolition sales.
Notice to Buyer: Cash buyer's intimation to the recycler of vessel particulars and ETA at the yard.
Notification of Intent to Recycle: Owner's notice under HKC Regulation 24 to the flag administration.

O

Ocean Tow to Yard: Towage of dead ships to recycling facilities, requiring tow approval and weather routing.
OEWG Open-Ended Working Group: Subsidiary body of the Basel Convention preparing decisions for the COP.
Offer Memorandum: Cash buyer's marketing document setting out vessel particulars for recycling sale.
Oily Sludge Disposal: Treatment of residual sludge from settling, lubrication, and bunker tanks.
Onboard Visual Check: IHM development step examining the ship physically before sampling.
Operational Hazardous Waste: IHM Part II category covering oily wastes, sludges, and chemicals.
OPRC Convention Linkage: Oil pollution preparedness at recycling sites under OPRC 1990.
Owner's Final Voyage Plan: Voyage plan for the delivery from last commercial port to recycling yard.
Oxy-Fuel Cutting: Primary cutting method using oxygen and acetylene or propane.
Ozone-Depleting Substances ODS: Chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and HCFCs listed in IHM Table A.

P

Paint Stripping Hazard: Risk from removal of old protective coatings containing lead, TBT, or PCBs.
Pakistan Ship Breakers Association PSBA: Industry body for Gadani recyclers.
PCB Cable Sleeve: Cabling with PCB-containing insulation requiring specialized disposal.
PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls): Persistent organic pollutants bioaccumulating in marine food webs.
Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid PFOS: Substance listed in IHM Table A, found in fire-fighting foams and coatings.
Periodical Survey: HKC intermediate or renewal survey of the IHM Certificate.
Phase-Out Schedule: Timeline for removal of legacy hazardous materials under the IHM Maintenance Plan.
Pier Side Cutting: Cutting operations conducted alongside a pier under controlled conditions.
Plasma Cutting: High-temperature plasma arc method used selectively in cleaner cutting zones.
Plate Recovery Yield: Percentage of hull plate recovered as re-rollable steel.
Plot Allocation: Assignment of a beaching plot by the maritime board to a yard for a given vessel.
PMS Pollution Monitoring Scheme: Indian Coast Guard surveillance for spills around recycling sites.
Polybrominated Biphenyls PBBs: Substances listed in IHM Table A, found in some flame-retardant plastics.
Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers PBDEs: Substances listed in IHM Table A, found in flame retardants.