Extended Operational and Trade Vocabulary

Ship Recycling, Hong Kong Convention, and Recycling Yards glossary

Vocabulary of ship recycling under the Hong Kong Convention: the recycling clusters at Alang, Aliaga and Chittagong, plot-owner associations, acetylene torch cutting and abandonment practices, EU-listed yard requirements, and the cash buyers and compliance-upgrade terminology governing the dismantling of end-of-life tonnage.

191 defined terms.

A

Abandonment of ship: Decision by the master to evacuate, typically by lifeboat, liferaft, or rescue craft.
Acetylene torch cutting: The primary thermal method used at most South Asian recycling yards to dismantle hull sections into manageable plates.
Alang: Village in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat, India, at the southern end of the Gulf of Khambhat, home to the world's largest ship recycling cluster spanning approximately 10 km of intertidal beach.
Alang Ship Recycling Yards Association (ASSRYA): Industry body representing Alang plot holders, headquartered at Alang and engaged with GMB on HKC compliance and worker welfare.
Aliaga: Ship recycling region near Izmir, Turkey, operating the landing slipway method with HKC and EU-listed facilities.
Alpha Marine Services: Ship recycling and cash buyer historically active in the South Asian market.
Annex I substances (IHM): Materials whose installation or use is prohibited or restricted under MARPOL and the Hong Kong Convention, including asbestos, PCBs, ODS, and TBT antifoulings.
Annex II substances (IHM): Materials present onboard for which an inventory must be maintained because they pose hazards during recycling, such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and hexavalent chromium.
Annex III substances (IHM): Operationally generated wastes and stores aboard a ship, listed in Part II of the IHM at the point of recycling readiness.
Apollo Ship Breaking Yard: A historically significant plot operator at Alang involved in cape and tanker dismantling.
Approved Recycling Facility: A yard authorized under EU SRR or by an Administration under the Hong Kong Convention to recycle ships flying eligible flags.
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.
ASRY: Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard in Sitra, Bahrain, established 1977 with four graving docks and four floating docks for VLCC and offshore work.
Authorized Ship Recycling Facility ASRF: Yard holding a current Document of Authorization to recycle ships DASR.

B

Ballast water residues: Sediments and biological matter that must be removed and managed before a vessel enters dry dock or beaching demolition.
Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association BSBRA: Industry association representing Chittagong recycling yards.
Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act 2018: The national legislation governing dismantling operations in Sitakunda, Chittagong, including occupational safety and waste handling provisions.
Basel Action Network (BAN): A non-governmental organization that tracks transboundary shipments of hazardous waste, including end-of-life ships.
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.
Beaching Method: Ship recycling technique where the vessel is driven ashore at high tide for dismantling on intertidal flats.
Best Oasis: Cash buyer group active in the ship recycling market.
Bhatiary: A coastal area within Chattogram, Bangladesh, home to many of the country's recycling yards.
Bhavnagar: The Gujarat district that administratively contains the Alang ship recycling cluster.
Block-cutting: The secondary phase of dismantling where pre-cut hull sections are reduced to manageable steel plates ashore.
Bunker tank cleaning: Mandatory hot-work preparation step where residual fuel oil is removed and tanks gas-freed before cutting.

C

Cash Buyer: Intermediary that purchases ships outright for cash and resells to recycling yards.
CECON Yard: Historic facility name found in Alang plot registers.
Certificate of Inventory of Hazardous Materials: International certificate under HKC Regulation 5 and Appendix 3.
Chattogram: The Bangladeshi port city (formerly Chittagong) whose Sitakunda coast hosts the country's ship recycling industry.
China National Ship Recycling Association (CNSA): Industry association historically representing Jiangyin Xiagang, Changjiang Ship Recycling, and other Yangtze-river yards.
Chittagong Ship Breakers Association: Earlier name commonly used for the BSBRA.
ClassNK: Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, Japanese classification society and IACS member, founded 1899.
CMA CGM Recycling Policy: The French container line's pledge to recycle owned vessels at EU-listed or Hong Kong Convention compliant yards.
Competent Authority: Government authority designated under HKC or Basel Convention to administer recycling rules.
Compliant facility: A yard that has been audited and certified against either the EU SRR or the Hong Kong Convention by a competent authority or recognized organization.
Contaminated bilge water: Oily water from machinery spaces that must be discharged to reception facilities before recycling begins.
CSR (Continuous Synopsis Record): The SOLAS XI-1/5 document tracing a ship's history of flag, name, owner, and class, routinely verified during PSC inspections.

D

Dalian Liaonan Ship Recycling: A historically active Chinese yard located in Dalian, Liaoning Province.
DASR: The Document of Authorization to conduct Ship Recycling, issued by the recycling state competent authority under HKC Regulation 16.
Decommissioning plan: The owner's documented plan for taking a vessel out of service and transferring it to recycling.
Deep-water alongside method: Recycling at a permanent quay where the vessel remains afloat during dismantling, used in some Chinese and Turkish yards.
Demolition lightweight (LDT): The light displacement tonnage figure used to price scrap value, expressing the steel weight of an empty ship.
Devagiri Steel: A plot operator name found in Alang yard registers.
DNV (Det Norske Veritas): Norwegian classification society active in IHM verification and HKC SoC issuance to Aliaga and Alang facilities.
Dredging waste at yards: Sediments from access channels and beaching strips that must be managed as part of yard environmental plans.
Dry-Dock Recycling: Dismantling method conducted entirely within a dry dock with full containment.

E

End-of-Life ship: A vessel that has reached the end of its operational life and is intended for recycling, as defined under EU SRR Article 3.
European List of approved ship recycling facilities: The list of yards authorized to recycle ships flying EU Member State flags, maintained by the European Commission under Implementing Decisions.
European Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR): Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013, which makes Hong Kong Convention type requirements binding on EU-flagged ships from 31 December 2018.
Ezadeen incident: A 2015 abandoned-ship case that highlighted the difficulties of regulating end-of-life ship transfers between flags.
Ezra: A plot operator name historically present at Alang.

F

Final Survey for Recycling: The pre-recycling survey verifying that the ship matches its IHM and is otherwise prepared for recycling, leading to issuance of the IRRC.
First Asbestos Survey: An onboard sampling and inventory survey targeted at identifying ACM throughout the vessel for Part I of the IHM.
Flag State responsibilities: Duties under the Hong Kong Convention to authorize ships, issue IHM and IRRC certificates, and notify Recycling States.
Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO): Oil/gas production unit.
Free-fall lifeboats: Onboard equipment that must be removed and demilitarized as part of the SRP scope of work.

G

Gadani: Pakistan ship recycling beach in Balochistan, about 50 km west of Karachi.
Gas Free for Hot Work: Status permitting cutting and welding in a designated space.
General permit to recycle: Authorization issued by the Administration in the recycling state confirming acceptance of a specific ship.
GMS Inc: Global Marketing Systems, cash-buyer headquartered in Cumberland, Maryland, with offices in Dubai, Singapore, Hamburg, and Shanghai; the largest cash-buyer by reported volume.
GMS Leadership: A program operated by GMS Inc., the cash buyer, classifying yards by audited compliance tiers (Green, Silver, Bronze) prior to wide HKC SoC adoption.
Green Ship Recycling: A general industry term for HKC and EU SRR aligned recycling that minimizes worker and environmental impacts.
Greenpeace Ship Breaking campaign: Early NGO awareness campaigning on conditions at South Asian yards in the 2000s.
Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB): The state authority regulating Alang and Sosiya yards on behalf of the Government of Gujarat.
Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB): The state environmental regulator overseeing hazardous waste streams at Alang.

H

Hazardous Waste (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules: India's national regulations implementing Basel Convention obligations and overlapping with ship recycling oversight.
Hexavalent chromium: An Annex II IHM substance found in some coatings and chrome plating onboard older ships.
HKC: Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
HKC Article 16 entry-into-force criteria: The 24 month period after at least 15 States representing 40 percent of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage and an annual recycling volume of 3 percent of their combined merchant tonnage become…
Hong Kong Convention 2009: IMO International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, in force 26 June 2025.
Hong Kong Convention Article 1: Establishes the general obligation to give full and complete effect to the Convention to prevent, reduce, and minimize adverse effects of ship recycling.
Hong Kong Convention Article 6: Requires ships destined for recycling to carry only those activities incidental to delivery to the recycling facility, including the issuance of the IRRC.
Hong Kong Convention Article 8: Sets the survey scheme, including initial, renewal, additional, and final surveys leading to the IHM and IRRC certificates.
Hong Kong Convention Article 9: Governs the authorization of Ship Recycling Facilities by Recycling States.
Hong Kong Convention Regulation 9: Requires every ship to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials maintained throughout its operational life.

I

ICS (International Chamber of Shipping): Trade association proposing market-based measures at IMO.
IHM: Inventory of Hazardous Materials required under HKC and EU SRR.
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.
IMO Resolution MEPC.196(62): 2011 Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
IMO Resolution MEPC.210(63): 2012 Guidelines for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling.
IMO Resolution MEPC.211(63): 2012 Guidelines for the Authorization of Ship Recycling Facilities.
IMO Resolution MEPC.222(64): 2012 Guidelines for the Survey and Certification of Ships under the HKC.
IMO Resolution MEPC.223(64): 2012 Guidelines for the Inspection of Ships under the HKC.
IMO Resolution MEPC.379(80): 2023 Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials, replacing MEPC.269(68).
India Recycling of Ships Act 2019: National law incorporating the Hong Kong Convention into Indian law and giving the Director General of Shipping primary oversight.
Indian Register of Shipping (IRClass): IACS member classification society.
Inspection by Recycling State: Verification by port-state-like surveyors at the recycling facility to confirm SRP compliance.
International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Materials (ICIHM): The flag state certificate confirming IHM compliance, issued for a maximum five-year term.
International Labour Organization (ILO): UN agency whose 2003 Guidelines on Safety and Health in Shipbreaking remain a key worker-protection benchmark.
International Maritime Organization (IMO): United Nations specialized agency that adopted the Salvage Convention 1989 and the Nairobi WRC.
International Ready for Recycling Certificate IRRC: HKC certificate issued after final survey and approval of the SRP.
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF): Global union federation including seafarers.
Intertidal zone recycling: The technique used at Alang, Gadani, and Chattogram where cutting takes place in the zone exposed at low tide.
Isolation of energy sources: Mandatory lockout, tagout, and de-energization of vessel systems before dismantling begins.

J

Jiangyin Xiagang Changjiang Ship Breaking Plant: A historically major Chinese recycler in Jiangsu Province that primarily handled domestic flag vessels.
JNK Shipping: A plot operator name historically associated with Alang.
Joint venture cash buyer: Arrangement where a cash buyer co-invests with a yard to secure a tonnage pipeline.

K

K Line Recycling Policy: Japanese line's policy directing owned tonnage to HKC compliant yards.
Kabir Steel Re-Rolling Mills (KSRM) Group: A major Bangladeshi industrial group active in steel re-rolling fed by ship recycling output in Chattogram.
Kalthia Ship Breaking: A plot operator at Alang associated with HKC SoC compliance work.
Kavin Engineering: A Yard operator name found in Alang lists.
Kawasaki HI recycling guidance: Owner-side recycling protocols associated with Japanese owner Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line).

L

Land-based recycling: A recycling method conducted on impermeable surfaces with full containment, recognized as the gold standard under the EU SRR.
Landing Method: A dismantling approach where the vessel is positioned on a sloped concrete or steel slipway, used at several European and Chinese yards.
Lead acid batteries: Onboard items requiring removal and proper handling under both Basel and HKC regimes.
Leela Group: A long-standing plot operator at Alang, operating multiple plots and an early adopter of HKC SoC.
Liberia accession: One of the two accessions (with Bangladesh) on 26 June 2023 that triggered the HKC's entry into force criteria.
Lightweight tonnage (LDT): Standard pricing unit for recycling sales, denominated in long tons of steel.
List of Hazardous Materials: Synonym for IHM Part I.
Lloyd's Register (LR): classification society founded 1760, IACS founding member, headquartered London.
Long ton: 2,240 lb, occasional unit in older charter parties.

M

Maersk Responsible Ship Recycling Standard (RSRS): A.P. Moller Maersk's owner-specific standard committing to HKC alignment and exceeding it in certain areas, applied initially at upgraded Alang yards.
MARPOL: International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, as modified by the 1978 and 1997 Protocols; the IMO treaty governing marine pollution across six annexes.
MEPC: Marine Environment Protection Committee.
MEPC Guidelines on Inventory: Collective term for MEPC.197(62), MEPC.269(68), and MEPC.379(80) on IHM development.
Mercury: Heavy metal listed in IHM Table A, found in switches, lamps, and thermometers.
MGX: Cash buyer brand operating in the South Asian ship recycling market.
Mid-life IHM update: The continuous maintenance obligation requiring shipowners to update Part I as installations change.
Mooring lines disposal: A specific waste stream covered in the SRP.

N

NABL accredited laboratory: An Indian-recognized lab analyzing onboard samples for IHM compilation.
NACE coatings: Industrial coatings whose constituents may be listed in IHM Part I if they contain controlled substances.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform: Brussels-based coalition advocating against beaching and for HKC and Basel compliance.
NK Recycling Services: Sub-brand under ClassNK for ship recycling certification.
Notification of intention to recycle: Owner's formal notice to its flag Administration that a ship is to be recycled.

O

Ocean-going ship cut-off: Under the HKC the Convention applies to ships of 500 GT and above engaged in international voyages.
OECD-to-non-OECD ship movement: Transboundary movement scrutinized under the Basel Ban Amendment regime.
Owner's Statement of Compliance: Shipowner declaration accompanying delivery of the ship to the recycling facility.
Ozone-Depleting Substances ODS: Chlorofluorocarbons, halons, and HCFCs listed in IHM Table A.

P

Pakistan Ship Breakers Association PSBA: Industry body for Gadani recyclers.
Pakistan Ship Recycling Bill: Draft national legislation aimed at aligning Pakistan with HKC obligations.
Part I (IHM): See IHM Part I.
Part II (IHM): See IHM Part II.
Part III (IHM): See IHM Part III.
PCB (Polychlorinated Biphenyls): Listed in IHM Part I, found in older transformers, capacitors, and cable insulation; subject to special handling and disposal.
Plot operator: The specific commercial entity holding a license to recycle ships on a numbered Alang, Gadani, or Chattogram plot.
Port of Recycling: The port serving the recycling facility, typically named in the IRRC.
PPE for recyclers: Helmets, harnesses, respirators, gloves, and footwear required by HKC, EU SRR, and ILO guidelines for yard workers.
Pre-cleaning: Removal of bunker residues, sludges, and onboard wastes before the ship enters the recycling facility.
Priya Blue Industries: Alang plot operator with HKC Statement of Compliance reported in trade press from major IACS societies; confirm via current Class registry.

Q

Quay-side recycling: Synonym for alongside method recycling conducted at a permanent berth.
Quotation in long tons: The market practice of pricing recycling sales per LDT in USD per long ton.

R

Re-rolling mill: A downstream steel facility that rolls recycled ship plate into rebar and structural sections, especially in Chattogram and Alang clusters.
Ready for Recycling Certificate: See IRRC.
Recognized Organization (RO): Class society or other entity acting on behalf of the flag state.
Recycling of Ships Rules 2020, India: The Indian subordinate legislation operationalizing the 2019 Act, including yard authorization procedures.
Recycling State: The state in which the recycling facility is located, with HKC obligations for authorization and supervision.
Responsible Ship Recycling Standard (RSRS): See Maersk RSRS.
RINA: Royal Institution of Naval Architects, London, founded 1860.
Risk assessment for ship-specific hazards: A mandatory component of the SRP for each ship received.

S

Sea2Cradle: A Netherlands-based ship recycling project management company that supervises recycling at HKC-aligned yards on behalf of shipowners.
Sediment management plan: Yard-level documentation of contaminated sediment handling, required under EU SRR audits.
Seimar Shipping: A historic cash buyer name in the South Asian market.
Ship Recycling Facility Plan SRFP: Facility-level plan required under HKC Regulation 18 and MEPC.211(63).
Ship Recycling Plan (SRP): Required per HKC and EU SRR per ship.
Shree Ram Group: Alang plot operator with HKC Statement of Compliance from IACS member classification society; confirm details via the issuing society.
Shree Ramesh Metal & Steel: A plot operator name found in Alang yard registers.
Sitakunda Upazila: Subdistrict of Chittagong District, Bangladesh, hosting the Chittagong ship recycling cluster.
SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-5: Provision banning new installation of asbestos onboard ships from 1 January 2011.
Sosiya: Southern part of the Alang-Sosiya cluster with additional plots.
Star Asia Shipping: Singapore-headquartered cash-buyer active in tanker and bulker last-voyage purchases.
Statement of Compliance with EU SRR: Similar certificate confirming alignment with the EU Regulation; only EU-listed yards may recycle EU-flagged ships.
Statement of Compliance with HKC (SoC HKC): A facility-level certificate issued by an RO confirming the yard meets the HKC requirements, pending the convention's full implementation.
Steel Industries Kerala Ltd (SILK): Indian government-linked entity that historically explored ship recycling investment.

T

Tank cleaning at recycling: A pre-recycling phase ensuring all cargo and bunker tanks are gas-free, sludge-free, and safe for hot work.
TBT (Tributyltin): Organotin biocide formerly used in antifouling, banned by AFS Convention.
The Maritime Executive recycling tables: Industry trade publication tracking recycling sales volumes and yard activity.
Tonnage demolished annually: Industry metric, typically quoted in LDT or DWT, used to size the global recycling market (roughly 600 to 900 ships per year).
Transboundary Movement Document (Basel): The notification and movement document accompanying hazardous waste shipments under Basel.
Turkish Ship Recyclers Association (GEMISANDER): Industry body for Aliaga based recycling facilities.

U

UNCTAD Review of Maritime Transport: Annual UN reference publication.
United Steel Allied Industries: A Chattogram based industrial name in the recycling-fed steel sector.
Update of IHM Part I: Continuous maintenance obligation following any installation, replacement, or removal of hazardous-substance-containing items.
US EPA PCB rules: National regulations on PCB management that affect US-flagged ship recycling decisions, often via the MARAD recycling program.

V

Verification audit (EU SRR): Periodic re-audit of yards on the European List by a Commission contracted auditor.
Vinyl chloride monomer: An IHM listed hazardous substance present in some onboard polymers and resins.
Visual identification (VI): The first stage of an IHM survey using existing drawings and walkthrough inspections to identify hazardous materials.

W

Waste manifest: Document trail covering each hazardous waste stream removed from the ship and tracked to its downstream disposal facility.
Wirana Shipping Corporation: Singapore-headquartered cash-buyer founded in the 1980s, among the longest established in the sector.
Worker safety committee: Yard level body required under HKC SRFP, including representation from cutting crews.
Workshop survey of equipment: Sampling and analysis program performed on removable items to confirm their IHM classification.

X

Xinhui Yufeng: A historic Chinese recycling yard reference in Guangdong Province (now largely inactive for international tonnage).

Y

Y.S. Investments: Plot operator name historically associated with Alang.
Yard authorization: The process under HKC Article 9 by which a Recycling State authorizes a specific facility to recycle ships.
Yard capacity in LDT: Annual throughput capacity, typically published as part of EU List applications and HKC SoC audits.

Z

Zero discharge target: An aspirational standard, sometimes referenced in Maersk RSRS and EU SRR audits, for hazardous waste leakage from yard operations.
Zhoushan recycling cluster: A Chinese yard concentration in Zhejiang Province, historically active in domestic flag recycling.
Zinc anodes (sacrificial): Removed during dismantling and recovered as a non-ferrous metal stream, recorded in IHM Part I as non-hazardous metal where applicable.