A joint working group on ship scrapping established by IMO concluded its second meeting in Geneva in December 2005. The overall task set by the Group was to act as a platform for consultation, co-ordination and co-operation in relation to their work programmes and activities with regard to issues related to ship scrapping. The Group aimed to promote a coordinated approach to the relevant aspects of ship scrapping with the aim of avoiding duplication of work and overlapping of roles, responsibilities and competencies between the three Organizations, and identifying further needs.

Since the first meeting of the joint working group in February 2005, the IMO's Assembly has adopted a resolution seeking the development of a legally binding instrument on ship recycling. This instrument would provide global regulations on the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling. It would also encompass the operation of environmentally sound ship recycling and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling.

Issues of direct relevance to the joint working group discussions are:

• The experience of prior informed consent for ship recycling between States;
• Requirements of a reporting system for ships destined for scrapping;
• Basic principles of an applicable control mechanism;
• Pre-cleaning and preparation of ships;
• Practical approaches that promote occupational health and safety and environmentally sound management of ship scrapping; and
• Possible roles of concerned States, such as flag States, port States and recycling States in the context of occupational health and safety and the environmentally sound management of ship scrapping and the potential benefits of a mandatory ship recycling plan.
• In parallel to the development of a new treaty on ship recycling, an International Ship Recycling Fund is expected to be established in the near future.