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recycling volume is expected to double ers, which will facilitate their move-
tehelka bureau by 2024. ment across countries, providing ease
Accession to IMO’s Hong Kong In- of getting jobs and also helping in iden-
ternational Convention will give boost tification at any location in the world.
ndia has become a prime destina- to the domestic ship recycling industry
tion for green ship recycling with in India, which is one of the world’s five International co-operation
the passing and enactment of the major ship recycling countries. In its The year 2019 saw a series of interna-
landmark Recycling of Ships Act, annual review of the performance of tional cooperation agreements and
I 2019. This is the result of several the Ministry of Shipping for 2019, the events. In order to boost the bilateral
important progressive policy interven- ministry claimed that enactment of the trade with other countries and to en-
tions and new initiatives to accelerate landmark Recycling of Ships Act, 2019; sure cooperation and coordination in
the overall development of the ship- accession to IMO’s Hong Kong Inter- the maritime sector, several MoUs were
ping sector. national Convention for Safe and En- signed with neighbouring, South Asian
India has also acceded to Interna- vironmentally, improved connectivity and other countries like Bangladesh,

India

now a

prime

hub

for

recycling

of ships

tional Maritime Organization (IMO) with neighbouring countries for ease Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan Maldives,
Hong Kong International Convention of movement of cargo and passengers Denmark and Sweden.
for Safe and Environmentally Sound and taking up new projects under flag- One of the significant MoUs signed
Recycling of Ships in November 2019. ship Sagarmala project were the major between India and Maldives will pave
The new Act provides a legislative highlights. the way for ferry and cargo services
framework for implementation of the India has also become the first between Maldives and Kerala. An-
provisions of the Hong Kong Conven- country in the world to issue Biomet- other agreement has been signed with
tion. It also contains provisions of the ric Seafarers Identity Document (BSID) Sweden for mutual recognition of the
Convention, which are not covered capturing the facial biometric data of certificates of seafarers in December
in the Ship-breaking Code (Revised), seafarers. The new document will give 2019. This will enable the employment
2013.With enactment of this Act; ship- a foolproof identification to our seafar- of Indian seafarers on-board Swedish

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