Shiprecycling yards outside the European Union are being added to the list of facilities approved to scrap EU-flagged vessels.

Facilities in Turkey and the US, as well as in member states ­Denmark, Finland and Italy, are being included under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), which takes effect on 1 January.

However, it means that without surprise additions in the next few weeks, the list will initially exclude yards in India, including those that have upgraded for compliance to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC).