Harland & Wolff removed from EU recycling list
Stena Embla calls in at the now Navantia-owned Harland & Wolff, Belfast, for maintenance (Source: Harland & Wolff)
Harland & Wolff has been removed from the EU’s list of approved ship recycling facilities. Under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, large EU-flagged vessels must use approved yards for dismantling and recycling.
The EU said its approved yards must meet strict environmental and safety standards, reflecting risks associated with hazardous materials such as asbestos, lead and mercury during ship recycling.
Reports said the yard was removed after it “failed to provide the necessary information for renewal”. The updated list includes 41 facilities across the EU, Britain, Norway, Turkey and the US, leaving no approved recycling yard on the island of Ireland.
Harland & Wolff was acquired in 2025 by Navantia UK, which has committed GBP 100 million, EUR 116 million, to expanding operations.
In the meantime, the Cyprus-flagged Stena Embla has entered drydock at Harland & Wolff’s Belfast facility for a scheduled four-day maintenance period. The docking forms part of an ongoing collaboration between the operator Stena Line and the yard, with work focused on returning the vessel to service promptly.
