The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted the regulation EU SRR, which requires on board an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM). EU SRR is aimed at facilitating early ratification of the Hong Kong Convention both within the EU and in third countries by applying proportionate controls to ships and ship recycling facilities on the basis of Hong Kong Convention. The EU SRR is closely following the Hong Kong Convention’s structure, concepts and definitions. However, the EU SRR also sets out a number of additional requirements that go beyond those set in the Hong Kong Convention, including on Inventories of Hazardous Materials.

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All ships on international voyages, of 500 GT and above, flying the flag of an EU Member State or flying the flag of a third country when calling at a port or anchorage of an EU Member State, are required to have on board an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) Part I. 

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The IHM Part I is consisted of ship-specific information on the actual hazardous materials present on board, such as asbestos, ozone depleting substances and anti-fouling systems containing organotin compounds as a biocide and others. This information will be used by the ship recycling facilities in order to decide how to manage the types and amounts of materials identified in the IHM for protecting health and safety and preventing environmental pollution.

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All ships flying the flag of an EU Member State shall be subject to a survey regime and they shall carry on board a ship-specific ‘Inventory Certificate’ issued by the administration or a RO authorized by it and supplemented by Part I of the IHM. When calling at a port or anchorage of an EU Member State, all ships flying the flag of a third country shall carry on board a ship-specific ‘statement of compliance’ issued by the relevant authorities of the third country whose flag the ship is flying or an organization authorized by them and supplemented by Part I of the IHM.