Vessel Recycling Interim Order

Summary#

The Interim Order Respecting the Recycling of Vessels is a short-term rule made under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. It requires ships of 500 gross tonnage or more that are being sent for recycling to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials and to take steps to reduce leftover cargo, fuel residues and waste. The order was signed by Steven MacKinnon on March 26, 2026 and comes into force on April 1, 2026.

What it does#

• Applies to vessels of 500 gross tonnage or more (not government vessels) that are en route to be recycled:
  • Canadian vessels everywhere.
  • Foreign vessels while in Canadian waters.
• Requires the owner to keep an up-to-date Inventory of Hazardous Materials on board. The inventory must show the kinds, quantities and locations of hazardous materials on the ship.
• Requires that the inventory be made available to the master, crew and any person in charge of the recycling facility.
• Requires the owner to take measures to minimize cargo residues, fuel oil residues and other waste before recycling, and to keep a record of those measures.
• Defines key terms (for example, hazardous materials are those listed in the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009) and what counts as recycling and a recycling facility.

Who's affected#

• Owners of ships of 500 gross tonnage or more (the owner listed in the Canadian Register of Vessels for Canadian ships).
• Masters and crew, who must be able to access the Inventory of Hazardous Materials.
• Recycling facilities and their staff, who will receive ships and need the inventory and records.
• Foreign-flagged ships planning to be recycled in Canadian waters.
• Government vessels are explicitly excluded.

Why it matters#

• The rules are meant to reduce risks to marine safety, the marine environment, and people who work at ship-recycling sites by making hazardous materials visible and by reducing dangerous residues before dismantling.
• Ship owners will need to prepare and keep records, which may add paperwork and require checking or removing residues before a ship is sent for recycling.
• Recycling yards and workers get clearer information about what hazardous materials they may encounter, which can improve safety on site.