About
On 6 December 2018 the EU Ship Recycling Regulation was incorporated into the EEA Agreement. It was implemented into Norwegian law by way of Regulations of 6 December 2018 No. 1813 on ship recycling and amendments to Regulations of 24 November 2014 No. 1458 on port State control (together referred to as the 'Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation (2018)').
Ships exceeding 500 GT (with a few exemptions) flying the Norwegian flag (NIS or NOR) may only be recycled at recycling facilities on the European List.
A "ship" is given a wide definition, and the rules also apply to, for instance, fishing vessels and mobile offshore units.
Further, all existing EU/EEA flagged vessels and non-EU/EEA vessels calling at an EU/EEA port or anchorage must carry on board an Inventory of Hazardous Materials ('IHM'), which, in short, is an inventory listing all possibly hazardous materials contained on the vessel.
Anyone breaching the Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation may be subject to fines or imprisonment for up to two years. Anyone contributing to a breach (Norw: 'medvirkning') may also be subject to fines or imprisonment for up to two years, cf. the Norwegian Criminal Code (2005) sec. 15.
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation was updated in June 2025 with inter alia requirements for Norwegian shipyards for recycling of vessels flying non-EEA flags, to reflect the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention.
Who does it impact?
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation applies to ships exceeding 500 GT flying the Norwegian flag (NOR or NIS). There are certain exemptions, including e.g. warships and ships that only operate in waters under Norwegian jurisdiction throughout their service life.
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation affects ship-owners and ship recycling facilities.
Status: In force
The Regulation entered into force on 31 December 2018.
Relation to other initiatives and regulations
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation (2018) implements the EU Ship Recycling Regulation into Norwegian law.
Participants
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation (2018) has been laid down by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment.
Thommessen's comments
The practical implication of the incorporation of the EU Ship Recycling Regulation into Norwegian law is that ships exceeding 500 GT flying the NOR and NIS flag (with a few exemptions) may only be recycled at a pre-approved recycling facility included in the 'European List' established by the EU.
The Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation (2018) is based on the flag state principle, meaning that the owner of a ship covered by the Regulation is responsible for the ship being recycled at a ship recycling facility included in the 'European List', irrespective of the geographical location of the ship.
As the Norwegian Ship Recycling Regulation (2018) is an implementation of EU/EEA law, please also see the EU Ship Recycling Regulation for a complete understanding of the applicable regulatory framework