India Advocates for Sustainable Maritime Transition and Safe Ship Recycling at Regional Global Gateway Workshop
By Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI
India reaffirmed its commitment to environmentally responsible maritime practices and sustainable ship recycling at the Global Gateway – Green Shipping Corridors and Hubs (GGGSCH) Regional Workshop for South & Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
Speaking during a high-level panel discussion titled “Ship Recycling – Challenges and Opportunities,” Shri Mukesh Mangal, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), highlighted the critical need to align end-of-life vessel management with global green standards while addressing operational bottlenecks in the sector.
The session convened key international maritime authorities, policymakers, technical experts, and industry leaders to examine sustainable recycling frameworks, environmental safety protocols, and commercial pathways for advancing circularity in the shipping sector.
Addressing the assembly, Shri Mangal underlined India’s evolving regulatory landscape and its proactive modernization of domestic recycling yards. A central focus of the deliberations was balancing the escalating volume of retiring commercial fleets with safe disposal mechanisms that minimize marine pollution, ensure occupational health standards, and conform to the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Hong Kong Convention.
The panel also addressed the challenges confronting the South and Southeast Asian recycling industries, including handling hazardous materials, upgrading yard infrastructure, and establishing uniform compliance across borders. Panelists emphasized that retrofitting and recycling play an indispensable role in decarbonization, forming a closed-loop supply chain that returns green steel and recoverable materials to the global economy.
Participants in the GGGSCH workshop concurred that regional cooperation is vital for developing green shipping corridors, harmonizing safety audits, and expanding financial and technical mechanisms for greener shipyard operations. India’s engagement at the forum signals its strategic intent to lead responsible, transparent ship-recycling practices across the Indo-Pacific maritime ecosystem.
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