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Responsible Ship Recycling and Corporate Responsibility: Regulatory Aspects and Legal Challenges

Wennberg, Wictoria LU (2025) JURM02 20251
Department of Law
Faculty of Law
Abstract
This thesis investigates the extent to which international and EU legal frameworks establish and enforce corporate responsibility in the context of ship recycling. Despite the existence of binding instruments such as the Basel Convention, the Hong Kong Convention (HKC), the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) and the Waste Shipment Regulation (EU WSR), substantial volumes of end-of-life vessels continue to be dismantled under hazardous conditions, particularly in South Asia. The study applies a legal dogmatic method to critically examine legal obligations imposed on corporate actors, with a focus on enforcement gaps and circumvention strategies such as reflagging and the use of intermediaries like “cash buyers”.

By examining both... (More)
This thesis investigates the extent to which international and EU legal frameworks establish and enforce corporate responsibility in the context of ship recycling. Despite the existence of binding instruments such as the Basel Convention, the Hong Kong Convention (HKC), the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) and the Waste Shipment Regulation (EU WSR), substantial volumes of end-of-life vessels continue to be dismantled under hazardous conditions, particularly in South Asia. The study applies a legal dogmatic method to critically examine legal obligations imposed on corporate actors, with a focus on enforcement gaps and circumvention strategies such as reflagging and the use of intermediaries like “cash buyers”.

By examining both hard and soft law instruments and engaging with case law such as Begum v. Maran, Eide Carrier and Seatrade, the thesis assesses how legal tools operate in practice and explores to what extent national courts may fill regulatory gaps. It further considers the evolving legal landscape in the EU, including the potential impact of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Environmental Crime Directive (ECD).

The thesis contributes to the scholarly discourse by addressing a previously underexplored aspect of ship recycling: the role of private actors and the limits of their legal liability. It concludes that while existing frameworks contain valuable mechanisms, they remain insufficient unless complemented by robust enforcement and targeted regulatory reform. Future research is recommended in comparative corporate liability, supply chain governance and the interaction between international law and private corporate conduct. (Less)
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author
Wennberg, Wictoria LU
supervisor
organization
course
JURM02 20251
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
Sjörätt, EU-rätt, Företagsansvar, Skeppsåtervinning, Internationell miljörätt Maritime law, EU law, Corporate responsibility, Ship recycling, International environmental law
language
English
id
9189279
date added to LUP
2025-06-09 16:05:10
date last changed
2025-06-09 16:05:10
@misc{9189279,
  abstract     = {{This thesis investigates the extent to which international and EU legal frameworks establish and enforce corporate responsibility in the context of ship recycling. Despite the existence of binding instruments such as the Basel Convention, the Hong Kong Convention (HKC), the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) and the Waste Shipment Regulation (EU WSR), substantial volumes of end-of-life vessels continue to be dismantled under hazardous conditions, particularly in South Asia. The study applies a legal dogmatic method to critically examine legal obligations imposed on corporate actors, with a focus on enforcement gaps and circumvention strategies such as reflagging and the use of intermediaries like “cash buyers”. 

By examining both hard and soft law instruments and engaging with case law such as Begum v. Maran, Eide Carrier and Seatrade, the thesis assesses how legal tools operate in practice and explores to what extent national courts may fill regulatory gaps. It further considers the evolving legal landscape in the EU, including the potential impact of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) and the Environmental Crime Directive (ECD). 

The thesis contributes to the scholarly discourse by addressing a previously underexplored aspect of ship recycling: the role of private actors and the limits of their legal liability. It concludes that while existing frameworks contain valuable mechanisms, they remain insufficient unless complemented by robust enforcement and targeted regulatory reform. Future research is recommended in comparative corporate liability, supply chain governance and the interaction between international law and private corporate conduct.}},
  author       = {{Wennberg, Wictoria}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Responsible Ship Recycling and Corporate Responsibility: Regulatory Aspects and Legal Challenges}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}