Image for representation purposes only The European Commission has proposed adding two Indian ship recycling facilities to the updated European List of Ship Recycling Facilities, a move welcomed by European Shipowners (ECSA) as a long-awaited step that could expand approved recycling options for EU-flagged ships. If approved, the decision would mark the first time Indian ship recycling yards are included on the European List, ending years of exclusion despite investments by several Indian facilities to meet international environmental and safety standards. ECSA, which has called for the inclusion of compliant Indian yards since the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR) came into force, said the proposal sends a strong signal that ship recycling facilities outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) can be recognised if they meet the EU’s safety and environmental requirements. “This is a long-awaited and very welcome step, which rewards the investments these yards have made to meet EU standards,” said Sotiris Raptis, Secretary General of ECSA. “We now count on policymakers to swiftly finalise and adopt the List so that the two facilities can be approved without further delay, and we hope to see more compliant non-OECD yards making the List in the future. Addressing the capacity challenge is essential if the European List is to work as an incentive for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling worldwide,” he added. ECSA published its response on July 23 after the European Commission proposed updating the list. The proposal is being seen as an important development for India’s ship recycling industry, particularly after years of efforts by Indian recyclers to upgrade their facilities to meet international environmental and worker safety standards. European shipowners have said several Indian recycling yards already meet standards comparable to those required under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. They