The EU Commission has launched a proposal to EU member states to add two Indian ship recycling facilities to its list of approved yards. If approved, this would mark the first time that Indian yards have been recognised under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR), representing a milestone for a region that recycles the majority of the world's end-of-life ships. We welcome the proposal as a positive step towards a more objective and performance-based approach to ship recycling. The proposed inclusion of the yards reflects the substantial investments made by leading Indian recycling facilities over the past decade. Today, more than 110 Indian recycling yards hold a Hong Kong Convention (HKC) Statement of Compliance, issued by International Association of Classification Societies members. In addition, 23 yards in Bangladesh have already been authorised to conduct ship recycling by their national authorities as per HKC requirements. We believe that all yards, such as those in Alang, India, which have invested heavily in infrastructure, undergone repeated audits and received an official Document for the Authorisation of ship Recycling (DASR) from their national competent authorities, should be eligible to recycle ships. We therefore fully support the proposal by the EU Commission while recognising that the proposal should only be considered as a first step towards further global acceptance of the Hong Kong Convention. According to an estimate from our analysts, over 16,000 ships could be recycled over the next decade. While ship recycling holds great potential for the circular economy, it must be done in a safe and environmentally sound manner, and we need shipowners to choose globally compliant yards. Nearly a decade after the first Indian yards applied for inclusion on the EU list, it is fair to question whether a regional unilateral approach presents enough opportunities for building confidence, attract long-term investment and support continuous improvement in a