GMS Voice Strengthens BIMCO’s Call for Transparent and Compliant Ship Recycling
A live update from Hong Kong today offered a detailed look into the accelerating momentum behind responsible ship recycling, as industry leaders gathered for the latest BIMCO Ship Recycling Alliance meeting. Among the key participants was Dr. Anil Sharma, who joined the session as part of the Alliance team, adding his voice and experience to a growing coalition pushing for safer, greener and more transparent ship dismantling practices.
The BIMCO Ship Recycling Alliance has emerged as one of the maritime sector’s most influential platforms, uniting shipowners, regulators, recycling specialists and classification bodies to support the consistent implementation of global recycling regulations. Its mission is to bridge long-standing gaps between policy and practice by fostering informed dialogue, sharing best-practice insights and promoting operational reforms that are both realistic and achievable for ship recycling facilities worldwide.
Today’s discussions in Hong Kong underscored the scale of progress underway. Stakeholders highlighted a noticeable shift across the industry as more shipowners commit to responsible disposal practices and as recycling yards—particularly those certified under the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC)—work to upgrade infrastructure, training and compliance systems. Participants noted that the industry is moving beyond high-level commitments and toward measurable improvements in day-to-day operations, reporting practices and environmental safeguards.
Dr. Sharma’s contribution added a practical dimension to the debate. Representing GMS, the world’s largest buyer of ships for recycling, he offered insights drawn directly from market conditions and real-time transactional experience. GMS has played an active role in various Alliance working groups, especially those focused on the rollout of the Hong Kong Convention. By sharing data from ongoing recycling projects across approved yards, the company provides a critical on-the-ground perspective that helps refine technical guidance, strengthen compliance protocols and ensure that regulatory expectations remain grounded in operational realities.
Throughout the session, speakers emphasised the importance of aligning policy objectives with the commercial incentives that shape recycling decisions. While many shipowners have expressed support for sustainable recycling, factors such as freight market volatility, tonnage oversupply, and cost pressures continue to influence behaviour. The Alliance, through its collaborative structure, aims to help mitigate these challenges by promoting transparency, improving monitoring mechanisms and encouraging long-term partnerships between owners and certified yards.
Another key area of discussion centred on the global rollout of the Hong Kong Convention, which entered into force after years of negotiation and incremental adoption by signatory states. Participants stressed that the coming years will be crucial for ensuring that the Convention delivers on its promise: better environmental outcomes, higher safety standards, and consistent yard certification across major recycling hubs. The meeting reiterated the need for stronger enforcement mechanisms, improved hazardous-material handling, and deeper engagement with regulators in South Asia, where a significant share of the world’s ship recycling activity is concentrated.
GMS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting this transition. As part of its ongoing engagement with BIMCO, the company continues to supply data-driven insights that help shape guidance documents and implementation tools. This collaboration allows the Alliance to produce frameworks that are not only technically robust but also workable for the yards and shipowners that must adopt them. According to participants, this practical grounding is essential for building long-term confidence in certified recycling pathways.
The meeting closed with a collective acknowledgment of the vital role BIMCO plays in bringing the industry together. By offering a neutral space where owners, regulators, and recycling experts can exchange views, challenge assumptions and develop aligned strategies, BIMCO has positioned itself as a central facilitator of maritime sustainability. Attendees expressed appreciation for the organisation’s efforts in driving conversations that translate into tangible improvements on the ground.
As the sector navigates growing expectations from regulators, cargo owners and investors, platforms such as the BIMCO Ship Recycling Alliance are becoming indispensable. Today’s session in Hong Kong demonstrated that collaboration—supported by technical expertise, transparent data and a shared commitment to responsible recycling—is the most effective route to achieving safe, sustainable and future-ready ship dismantling practices.
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