The Hong Kong Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships 2009 specifically targets commercial shipping companies. Once this comes into force such shipping companies will have to comply and will be required to have green passports (also known as inventories of hazardous materials) for their fleet very swiftly. Many companies are looking to the future and being prepared by getting inventories of hazardous materials for their vessels now before demand outweighs supply.

In order to keep our clients vessels trading, our survey teams join and leave vessels at all international ports convenient to them. Alternatively, if preferred, we can also schedule our survey to be carried out in line with a vessel’s maintenance schedule and, our survey teams travel to the designated port to carry out the work. It is now increasingly important to have an inventory of hazardous materials carried out on your vessel to maintain safety standards. This is especially vital for entry to European ports where all vessels will receive safety inspections and face detention or being banned from all European ports as of the 1st January 2011 – to find out more on this, click here.

As well as ensuring safer and more environmentally friendly dismantling of ships, the Green Passport provides a single list of hazardous materials, which will help to promote better hazard management on board your ships. As the document will be able to be used to show measurable objectives for the protection of the environment from the contaminants carried on board the ship, it will aid the achievement of ISO14001 accreditation, thus enhancing your company’s commercial reputation and CSR (corporate social responsibility). In a world that is becoming increasingly impressed by sustainable business and companies with ethical goals, as a commercial company CSR is not something to be taken lightly.