Partners of the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (SENSREC) project in Bangladesh have given their backing to the initiation of a 4th phase to support implementation of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) which comes into force on 26 June 2025. The new phase would also bolster the roll-out of new national legislation related to the transport, storage and disposal of hazardous waste generated by the ship recycling industry.

At the third SENSREC Executive Committee meeting in Dhaka on 16 February, chaired by Senior Secretary in Bangladesh’s Ministry of industries, Ms Zakia Sultana, project partners reviewed the progress achieved by the current phase 3 and planning for the remaining activities in 2025. In addition, the committee deliberated on the project’s sustainability and the management of hazardous materials.

The executive committee brought together representatives of IMO, the Ministry of Industries, Bangladesh Ship Breaking and Recycling Association (BSBRA) and the Embassy of Norway in Dhaka.

In the coming months, SENSREC will conduct a feasibility study for the construction of a treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste in Chittagong. Further plans include the launch of a mentorship programme aimed at attracting more women to the ship recycling industry and progressing the careers of those already working in the field. The current phase will also see the publication of three technical guidance documents on the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships.