India’s Union Cabinet, the supreme decision-making body of the country, has reportedly approved a proposal allowing India to join the Hong Kong International Convention (HKC) for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.

The legislation will only need the approval of both Houses of parliament to review and pass the new bill, before India's President signs it, officially signalling the accession of the country into the IMO treaty and making it the 14th country to join according to a report by World Maritime News.

According to reports, the bill notes that ships shall be recycled in accordance with a ship-specific recycling plan and that ships to be recycled in India shall be required to obtain a Ready for Recycling Certificate in accordance with the HKC.

The Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships — which is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risk to human health and safety or to the environment — is to take effect 24 months after ratification by 15 states and representing 40% of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage.

When the HKC comes into effect,  the Indian government reportedly said its provisions will be implemented under the provisions of the Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019.

Before India, Germany, was the latest country to join the treaty in July 2019 giving greenlight for ships to only be recycled only in authorized ship recycling facilities.