New Podcast Series Dives Deep into the Hong Kong Convention: GMS
In a major step towards educating the global maritime community on the transformation of ship recycling, GMS—the world’s leading buyer of ships and offshore assets for recycling—has launched a new podcast series focused on the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.
Titled simply the GMS Hong Kong Convention Series, the podcast’s first episode, “Changing Ship Recycling for Good,” is now available to stream. In this debut, hosts Ingrid and Henning unpack the story of the Convention’s inception, the global cooperation that brought it to life, and what its upcoming entry into force means for the future of ship recycling.
🎧 Listen to Episode 1 here: GMS Podcast Link
A Landmark Moment in Ship Recycling
The episode begins by reflecting on a milestone more than 15 years in the making. Adopted in May 2009 under the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) is finally set to enter into force on June 26, 2025. This development follows the critical ratifications from major flag states and ship recycling nations, triggering the conditions required under the Convention’s entry-into-force criteria.
“The ship recycling industry is about to experience its biggest regulatory shift in decades,” says co-host Henning. “The HKC is not just about paperwork—it’s about real change at the beach, in the yard, and across the global fleet.”
Who Made It Happen?
A key strength of the episode is its focus on the people and nations who helped bring the HKC to life. Among the early champions were Norway and Japan, two countries that invested both political capital and technical support in turning a shared vision of safer, greener ship recycling into a global norm.
The hosts pay special tribute to four pioneering Indian recycling yards that, despite operating in one of the most scrutinized regions in the industry, took bold steps to align their practices with HKC standards early on. These yards demonstrated that meaningful environmental and labor protections could be implemented—even in traditionally criticized jurisdictions.
Further technical development came from ClassNK, a Japanese classification society that was instrumental in translating the HKC’s principles into actionable procedures at the yard level. Their work helped bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that ship recycling yards could meet the Convention’s requirements without halting operations.
The Big Picture: EU vs HKC
One of the most compelling parts of the episode addresses the often-debated relationship between the Hong Kong Convention and the European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR). While the EU’s list of approved yards and strict standards were introduced to enforce higher safety and environmental benchmarks, critics argue the regulations created a geographic bottleneck—favoring European facilities and limiting global recycling capacity.
Ingrid explains that, while the EU SRR was born out of a desire to raise the bar, the HKC achieves broader impact by encouraging global participation and providing a realistic framework for continuous improvement in all regions—not just within Europe.
“The HKC doesn’t just reward developed countries,” she says. “It creates a level playing field, where any recycling yard, in any country, can upgrade operations and demonstrate compliance. That’s a game-changer.”
Why This Matters to Maritime Stakeholders
The episode outlines specific benefits of the Convention for key industry players:
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Ship Owners gain a global standard for end-of-life vessel disposal, reducing legal uncertainties and ensuring alignment with sustainability goals.
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Cash Buyers, like GMS, gain clarity and a structured pathway to ensure the vessels they acquire are recycled responsibly.
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Recycling Yards can now differentiate themselves by meeting HKC criteria, attracting more clients and commanding better reputations.
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Regulators and NGOs are offered a harmonized framework that enables both oversight and international cooperation.
In addition, the podcast touches on the HKC’s entry-into-force criteria, which required ratification by at least 15 states, representing 40% of the world’s merchant shipping and a combined recycling volume of no less than 3% of global tonnage. With the final ratifications completed, the world is now on the cusp of seeing the HKC implemented in full.
Education Through Audio
The GMS Hong Kong Convention Series aims to fill a critical knowledge gap. While the HKC has been part of policy discussions for years, many maritime professionals remain unclear about what it entails and how it compares with existing regulations. Through in-depth storytelling and expert insights, the podcast hopes to bring transparency and clarity to the conversation.
This first episode sets the tone for future installments, which promise to cover yard audits, green steel, financing implications, and perspectives from shipowners and regulators.
Join the Conversation
The maritime industry is rapidly evolving, and the push for sustainability is no longer optional. With the Hong Kong Convention taking center stage in 2025, now is the time to get informed and engage with the issues that will define the next chapter of ship recycling.
🎙️ Listen to the full episode: https://lnkd.in/gSiENWHb
Follow the hashtags to join the discussion online:
#HongKongConvention #ShipRecycling #GMSPodcasts #Sustainability
Stay tuned for more episodes as GMS continues to explore how the Hong Kong Convention is changing ship recycling—for good.
