The UK Club has received the following update from Turkish lawyers, ErsoyBilgehan, regarding ship recycling plans under the Hong Kong convention.

QUOTE

"It has been announced by declaration published in the Official Gazette on 26 October 2018 that Turkey has opted to require the submission for approval of a Ship Recycling Plan before a ship may be recycled in Turkey's authorized Ship Recycling Facilities"

As we have reported in a previous news alert, Turkey had already become a party to the Convention but until today had not made a choice as required under Article 16(6). The Convention leaves it to the discretion of each party whether to require “explicit or tacit approval of the Ship Recycling Plan before a ship may be recycled in its authorized Ship Recycling Facility(ies)”.

In today’s declaration, Turkey announced that it will require the approval of the Ship Recycling Plan as a precondition inter alia of ship recycling under the Convention. The manner of approval that Turkey has chosen to require is express, not tacit, which means that upon receiving the Ship Recycling Plan, the competent authority will need to notify the ship recycling facility, the shipowner and the administration of its decision in writing on whether the plan has been approved or not before recycling can begin."

UNQUOTE

Members are directed to the full newsletter from Turkish lawyers, Ersoy Bilgehan, for additional information.