Overview

• EWD Benli Recycling GmbH has received Germany's first official permit for ship recycling, confirmed by Lower Saxony's Environment Ministry.
• This development addresses a longstanding reliance on South Asia for shipbreaking under weaker environmental and labor standards.
• Approximately 700 seagoing vessels are retired globally each year, with 90% currently dismantled in South Asia, often under poor conditions.
• EU regulations already limit recycling of large EU-flagged ships to approved facilities, and upcoming global standards in mid-2025 are expected to boost EU yards' competitiveness.
• Bremer Leviathan GmbH is also pursuing a permit, signaling growing interest in establishing a domestic ship recycling industry in Germany.