Nova Scotia recycling facility clinches Hong Kong Convention certification

Nova Scotia recycling facility R.J. MacIsaac Ltd. (RJMI) has won certification from Lloyd’s Register (LR) classification society according to the requirements of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention).

It is the first Canadian facility to obtain a Statement of Compliance (SoC) to the convention, which is scheduled to enter into force in June 2025.

RJMI was required to demonstrate that its environmental protection, workforce safety and emergency preparedness systems surpass the stringent conditions of the convention. LR also certified that the company operates according to its environmental, social, and corporate governance policies.

Adopted in 2009, the Hong Kong Convention is overseen by the International Maritime Organization and aims to ensure that ship recycling does not pose unnecessary risks to humans or the environment. It concerns the safety and environmental conditions at ship recycling facilities and the hazardous materials on the vessel being recycled.

“We are delighted to award a Statement of Compliance (SoC) to the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on ship recycling to RJMI. As an industry first for Canada, RJMI has shown real commitment to ensuring the high standards of safety adhered to at its facilities are in line with those required by this international Convention. With the entry into force of the HKC now less than two years away, it is encouraging to see yards like RJMI seeking certification to these requirements,” Hakan Erkal, a senior surveyor at LR’s Dartmouth, Nova Scotia office, said.

“Our focus on continuous improvement in safety, environmental protection, and efficiency is the reason we are getting these international certifications. We are determined to remain the leading green marine ship recycler in Canada. Further, meeting ever-exacting international standards for safety, environmental protection and efficiency allows us to compete not just in Canada but abroad,” Boyd MacIsaac, RJMI president, said.

RJMI has deconstructed a variety of vessels including the Deep Panuke Offshore Gas Production Platform, and Canadian government vessels ranging from warships to ferries at its Sheet Harbour facilities in Nova Scotia.  It is currently disassembling and recycling the former CCGS Hudson.

The Hong Kong Convention is set to enter into force 24 months after ratification by 15 States, representing 40% of the world’s merchant shipping by gross tonnage, with a combined maximum annual ship recycling volume not less than 3% of their combined tonnage.

The treaty is scheduled to enter into force in 2025.