Pakistan ratifies Hong Kong convention

Pakistan’s Maritime Minister Vice Admiral (Retd.) Iftikhar Ahmad Rao handed over the instrument of accession to IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim at IMO Headquarters in London on 30 November.

The deposit follows an IMO-run national seminar in Karachi, Pakistan (13-15 November) to support the country’s implementation of the Convention and related Guidelines.

The Convention will enter into force on 26 June 2025. As one of the world’s top five ship recycling countries, Pakistan’s ratification and implementation of the Hong Kong Convention is expected to contribute significantly towards the expansion of sustainable ship recycling worldwide.  

The Hong Kong Convention aims to ensure that ships at the end of their operational lives are recycled safely and without posing unnecessary risks to human health and the environment by placing responsibilities and obligations on all parties concerned – shipowners, ship building yards, ship recycling facilities, flag States, port States, recycling States.