Germany Launches First Dedicated Ship Recycling Yard Amid Growing Global Scrutiny on Shipbreaking Practices
Emden, Germany – 17th May 2025 — In a significant move for sustainable maritime operations in Europe, Germany has officially approved its first facility dedicated to the dismantling and recycling of large ships. The facility, operated by EWD Benli Recycling, is located in Emden, Lower Saxony, on the site of the historic Emder Werft und Dock (EWD), a shipyard with roots tracing back to 1903.
The approval marks a landmark shift for Germany’s role in global ship recycling, offering a safe and environmentally sound alternative to the prevalent and often controversial shipbreaking practices in South Asia.
A New Chapter for Emden Shipyard
EWD Benli Recycling, a subsidiary of Emder Werft und Dock, received the final go-ahead after a thorough regulatory process lasting around one year. The company is now officially classified as a specialised waste management business, a designation that aligns with European Union standards for industrial dismantling and recycling operations.
“We immediately received the first enquiries, which we still had to turn down due to the ongoing approval phase,” said Björn Sommer, one of the company’s two managing directors. “Now, we’re fully operational and ready to set new standards in maritime recycling.”
The Emden facility boasts significant infrastructure capable of handling large-scale dismantling projects, including two floating docks, a dry dock, and nearly two kilometers of quayside. It currently employs approximately 150 workers, many of whom bring decades of experience from Germany’s once-thriving shipbuilding industry.
“In principle, we will be able to dismantle anything that can enter the port of Emden through the sea lock,” Sommer explained, highlighting the flexibility of the facility to handle a wide range of maritime and industrial structures.
Diversified Recycling Capabilities
While the primary focus will be the dismantling of seagoing vessels—including container ships, tankers, passenger vessels, and ferries—the company’s ambitions extend beyond maritime assets. EWD Benli Recycling also plans to recycle inland waterway vessels, coasters, offshore wind turbines, and various types of industrial plants.
This diversified capability places the Emden yard in a unique position to support Germany’s broader energy transition and circular economy goals. As aging wind turbines are decommissioned in increasing numbers, facilities capable of safely and sustainably dismantling large metal structures will be in high demand.
Responding to Global Criticism of Shipbreaking Practices
The facility’s launch comes at a critical time for the global ship recycling industry. According to the German Shipowners’ Association, approximately 700 ships are scrapped worldwide each year, the majority of them in facilities located in South Asia—specifically Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. These regions have long faced criticism for unsafe working conditions, inadequate environmental protections, and the lack of regulatory oversight.
Shipbreaking yards in South Asia often employ the “beaching” method, in which large ships are run aground and manually dismantled, often without proper protective equipment or environmental safeguards. The resulting pollution and labor issues have drawn scrutiny from environmental groups, labor unions, and regulatory bodies worldwide.
Germany’s entrance into this sector reflects a broader European effort to enforce higher standards in the dismantling process. It also creates a regional option for EU shipowners who are now mandated to comply with strict recycling regulations.
Alignment with International and European Regulations
The opening of EWD Benli Recycling’s facility is particularly timely, coinciding with upcoming global regulatory changes. In June 2025, the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships will enter into force. This United Nations-backed agreement, adopted under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requires ship recycling yards to be certified by independent classification societies to ensure occupational safety and environmental compliance.
Additionally, since 2018, the EU Ship Recycling Regulation has mandated that large sea-going vessels flying the flag of an EU member state must be dismantled at approved facilities listed on the European List of ship recycling yards. The latest version of the list includes 43 facilities—31 located in Europe, 11 in Turkey, and one in the United States. Until now, none of the listed facilities were located in Germany.
With its inclusion expected in the near future, the Emden facility is poised to become a key player in Europe’s compliance strategy and a model for responsible ship recycling.
A Sustainable Future for Maritime Europe
The establishment of a German ship recycling yard is emblematic of a larger shift within the maritime industry toward sustainability and accountability. As ships built during the shipping boom of the early 2000s near the end of their operational lives, demand for environmentally sound dismantling options is expected to grow.
For Germany, this facility also represents a revitalization of its maritime industrial base, offering skilled employment opportunities and reinforcing the nation’s commitment to high environmental standards.
EWD Benli Recycling’s entrance into the market could inspire similar initiatives across Europe, especially as pressure mounts on shipowners to make ethical choices regarding the final destinations of their aging fleets.
“We see this not just as a business opportunity, but as a responsibility,” said Sommer. “It’s time for Europe to lead by example in ship recycling, just as we’ve done in other areas of environmental protection.”
As the global maritime sector navigates toward greener horizons, Germany’s Emden facility stands as a beacon of responsible industrial transformation—where the ships of yesterday meet the sustainable imperatives of tomorrow.
