China is set to close its doors as a ship scrapping center at the end of this year following new laws introduced as part of a wider crackdown on waste.

The move is not unexpected by those in the market but has been instantly met by appeals from Chinese shipbreakers, TradeWinds is told.

Beijing’s decision to ban the importing of ships and other floating objects from 31 December 2018 comes just as shipbreakers in Pakistan return to work after 18 months on the sidelines.