Europe has recycled just 5% of the tonnage of EU-owned and EU-flagged ships between 2019-2025, despite having sufficient domestic recycling capacity, Kallanish discovers from a report by Shipbreaking Platform and Transport & Environment (T&E).
During the period, 706 EU-flagged or EU-owned ships totalling 6.7 million light displacement tonnes (LDT) were recycled globally. Of these, 22% were recycled at EU facilities, representing 5% of the total tonnage. Nearly half of the vessels, representing 66% of total tonnage, were dismantled in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The report argues this represents both an environmental concern and a loss of recyclable steel for the European economy. The group criticised beaching practices in South Asia, arguing they increase environmental and safety risks.
“It is a profound failure of EU industrial strategy, prioritising strategic resilience and material autonomy on paper, while in reality letting valuable steel be lost to third markets,” says Benedetta Mantoan, policy manager at Shipbreaking Platform. “The EU speaks of reducing dependence on imported critical materials, yet, it lets its shipowners evade regulations and export millions of tonnes of recoverable steel that could be processed domestically. This is not strategic autonomy.”
EU regulations require EU-flagged ships to use approved recycling facilities and restrict the export of waste vessels to non-OECD countries. The report said shipowners often reflag vessels or uses other mechanisms to avoid these requirements.
Industry groups including Eurofer and Recycling Europe have previously called for a ban on beaching and landing methods of ship recycling. Some organisations have also argued that certain facilities should be removed from the EU-approved recycling list.
The debate has intensified following European Commission proposals to add two Indian recycling yards to the EU-approved list. In July, Brussels launched a public consultation on its proposed changes.
Shipbreaking Platform and T&E reiterate an explicit EU ban on beaching practices and higher standards in the ship recycling sector.
