ReqoData
Maritime & Shipping 2026Updated

List of EU-Approved Ship Recycling Facilities

Comprehensive directory of ship recycling yards approved under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR), with facility details, capacity, location, and compliance status for fleet managers planning end-of-life vessel dismantling.

Available Data Fields

Facility Name
Country
Location / Port
Annual Capacity (LDT)
Max Ship Dimensions
Compliance Certification
Recycling Method
Operator / Parent Company
EU List Inclusion Date
Permit Expiry Date
Contact Information
Hazardous Waste Handling

Data Preview

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FacilityCountryLocationCapacity
NV Galloo Recycling GhentBelgiumGhent50,000 LDT/yr
Leyal Ship RecyclingTurkeyAliaga, Izmir140,000 LDT/yr
Fornæs Ship Recycling ApSDenmarkGrenaa30,000 LDT/yr
International Shipbreaking LLCUnited StatesBrownsville, TX90,000 LDT/yr
Able UK LtdUnited KingdomHartlepool66,340 LDT/yr

43+ records available for download.

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EU-Approved Ship Recycling: Regulation, Capacity, and Compliance

The EU Ship Recycling Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 1257/2013) requires all large seagoing vessels flying an EU Member State flag to be recycled only at facilities included in the European List of ship recycling facilities. As of February 2025, the 14th edition of the European List includes 43 approved facilities across Europe, Turkey, and the United States.

Geographic Distribution

RegionNumber of Yards
EU Member States24
Norway & UK7
Turkey11
United States1

Capacity vs. Demand

The combined annual recycling capacity of yards on the European List exceeds 2.85 million LDT, far surpassing demand from the EU-flagged fleet. Several facilities — notably Leyal in Aliaga, Turkey and International Shipbreaking in Brownsville, Texas — can handle vessels exceeding 300 meters in length, including FPSOs and large tankers.

Approval and Compliance Requirements

Every facility on the European List must demonstrate compliance with stringent environmental and occupational safety standards:

EU-based yards
Assessed by their national competent authorities, who verify compliance and notify the European Commission for listing.
Third-country yards
Must apply directly to the European Commission, which evaluates their operations against Regulation requirements before inclusion.

Key compliance areas include containment of hazardous materials (asbestos, PCBs, heavy metals), worker safety protocols, and environmentally sound waste management. Inclusion is typically granted for a five-year period, subject to renewal.

Industry Developments

The European Commission removed three facilities from the list in its February 2025 update — yards in Latvia, Lithuania, and Turkey — while adding one yard each in the Netherlands and Turkey. Safety incidents at certain Turkish yards, including fatal accidents, have led to removals in previous editions, underscoring the Commission's commitment to enforcement.

The European Ship Recyclers Group, formed by leading EU-based yards, advocates for higher standards and fair competition between European and third-country facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.Are all EU-flagged vessels required to use these facilities?

Yes. Since 31 December 2018, all large seagoing vessels (500 GT and above) flying an EU Member State flag must be recycled at a facility on the European List. Non-compliance can result in penalties under the flag state's national enforcement regime.

Q.How current is the facility data?

When you request this dataset, our AI crawls publicly available sources in real time — including EU Official Journal publications, facility websites, and maritime authority databases — to compile the most up-to-date information available.

Q.Can I find yards that handle specific hazardous materials like asbestos?

Yes. All EU-approved facilities must demonstrate capability to handle hazardous materials including asbestos, PCBs, and heavy metals. The dataset includes each facility's hazardous waste handling certifications and methods.

Q.Does the list include yards outside Europe?

Yes. The European List includes facilities in third countries that have applied to and been approved by the European Commission. Currently this covers 11 yards in Turkey and 1 in the United States.

Q.How does the EU approval differ from Hong Kong Convention certification?

The EU SRR and the Hong Kong Convention share similar goals but operate independently. Some facilities hold both certifications. The EU List is a legally binding requirement for EU-flagged vessels, while the Hong Kong Convention (not yet widely in force) is an IMO framework. Our data captures both certifications where available.