A number of different methods exist for disposing of a ship after it has reached the end of its effective or economic service life with an organisation.

Options

Although many options are technically possible, some, such as deep water sinking, are not used for non-military vessels, or have come under increased scrutiny. Options currently available include: * Hulking *

Ship breaking Ship breaking (also known as ship recycling, ship demolition, ship scrapping, ship dismantling, or ship cracking) is a type of ship disposal involving the breaking up of ships either as a source of Interchangeable parts, parts, which can be sol ...

(involving recycling) * Use as an

artificial reef An artificial reef (AR) is a human-created freshwater or marine benthic structure. Typically built in areas with a generally featureless bottom to promote Marine biology#Reefs, marine life, it may be intended to control #Erosion prevention, erosio ...

* Donation * Sale for re-use * Floating (or drydock) storage * Deep water sinking

Description of options

* Hulking was a traditional method of converting a hull to another purpose after its usefulness as a ship had ended. The ship is stripped of its motive equipment (sails and rigging or motors) and is used for a variety of purposes. This practice is still in use to a limited extent. *

is the most common and most environmentally accepted method of ship disposal. According to various organisations, only facilities approved by the Basel Action Network's "Green Ship Recycling" program are environmentally sound options. *

Artificial reef An artificial reef (AR) is a human-created freshwater or marine benthic structure. Typically built in areas with a generally featureless bottom to promote Marine biology#Reefs, marine life, it may be intended to control #Erosion prevention, erosio ...

ing is the sinking of ships offshore to form

reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...

s. Before sinking, the vessel needs to have all toxic components and electrical devices removed. Depending on the ship design this may be done relatively easily, although some designs present certain difficulties. Also the reef location needs to be determined. For these, approval must be obtained from the state authorities. According to the

Rand Corporation The RAND Corporation, doing business as RAND, is an American nonprofit global policy think tank, research institute, and public sector consulting firm. RAND engages in research and development (R&D) in several fields and industries. Since the ...

, artificial reefing to form wreck diving sites is however still a profitable option, as the reefs are anticipated to be visited by tourists, thus generating an income. * Donation, or sale for re-use, allows for the refurbishment and reuse of a vessel by a secondary party. Such uses can include further life as a ship,

houseboat A houseboat is a boat that has been designed or modified to be used primarily for regular dwelling. Most houseboats are not motorized, as they are usually moored or kept stationary, fixed at a Berth (moorings), berth, and often tethered to ...

, office, hotel, museum, or conference center. * Deep water sinking or SINKEX is the sinking of ships during

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. Before the ships are sunk they are cleaned of all toxic components and devices, so that no environmental pollution should occur. * Floating or drydock storage involves storing the boat on or off water for a period of time. Storage on water is an expensive method as after 30 years the ships need extensive repairs due to corrosion by the seawater. Storage in drydocks is also expensive. Regular storage on shore, outside a dock, is also a possibility.

Illegal ship disposal

Some shipping companies have in the past attempted to dispose of their ships illegally, often due to the high costs of sanitizing these ships in a legal way as a result of the presence of large quantities of toxic compounds and materials. Prominent examples of where environmental concerns have complicated the planned disposal of ships have been the Norwegian Cruise Lines vessels SS ''Norway'' and SS ''Oceanic'', as well as the French

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...

''Clemenceau''. Although in the past there were few effective controls on ship disposal, and the risk of being caught was therefore limited, national authorities as well as environmental organisations are now more vigilant. Ships are sometimes tracked when they are nearing the end of their lifespan.Operation spot-a-ship
Companies caught disposing of ships illegally face hefty fines.

References

{{Recycling, state=expand