EWD Benli Becomes First German Firm Licensed For Ship & Wind Turbine Dismantling

Germany has opened its first maritime recycling yard after EWD Benli Recycling GmbH & Co. KG got final approval to start dismantling ships, wind turbines, and industrial structures at the Emden Werft und Dock GmbH site.

The approval was granted this week by the Oldenburg Trade Supervisory Office.

The certification process took around a year. Now, with all permits in place, the facility becomes the first in Germany to legally carry out such operations under strict national and EU environmental standards.

The company will handle the recycling of ocean-going ships, inland The company will handle the recycling of ocean-going ships, inland waterway vessels, coasters, passenger ferries, and other structures that can enter Emden Port via the sea lock.waterway vessels, coasters, passenger ferries, and other structures that can enter Emden Port via the sea lock.

The recycling yard is operated under the joint leadership of Björn Sommer and Dr. Sebastian Jeanvré. Sommer, who also heads Emder Werft und Dock GmbH, stated that after the plan was announced last year, the company had already received several inquiries.

However, these had to be put on hold while awaiting regulatory clearance. With the green light now given, they’ve begun following up on those earlier requests.

EWD Benli Recycling is working in cooperation with ReLog GmbH, a company that specialises in dismantling industrial plants, engines, wind turbines, ships, and even aircraft.

Jeanvré, who is also Managing Director of ReLog, said that the team worked closely with local and regional authorities throughout the certification process. He noted that the project contributes to Emden’s economic development and supports material recovery from old ships within Germany.

Support from public figures and institutions played a key role in the successful approval. Emden Mayor Tim Kruithoff, Economic Development Officer Martje Merten, and officials from the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment, as well as trade supervisory authorities in Oldenburg and Emden, including Jerzy Gohlke, Martina Johansen, and Oliver Schmidt, were all involved in the process.

The shipyard in Emden, located on the Ems River in northwestern Germany near the Dutch border, has been in service for over a century, focusing on ship repair and conversion.

Since 2020, it has been owned by the Benli Group, based in Bremerhaven. The group brings experience in dealing with industrial dismantling, both onshore and offshore, including wind power infrastructure, which is also expected to be part of the facility’s operations.

Emden’s port is considered ideal for this kind of work. Its storm-proof location, protected by a sea lock, makes it suitable for handling heavy and large materials safely. The site is also officially recognised as an emergency port by German authorities.

The shipyard is equipped with sealed working areas, modern cranes, and docking facilities, all of which meet EU regulations for environmentally safe ship recycling.

Now that operations can begin, EWD Benli Recycling becomes the only maritime company in Germany with full legal approval for ship and industrial dismantling.

The company aims to recover and reuse raw materials in a sustainable way, as more shipowners get ready to retire older vessels to follow stricter environmental rules in the coming years.

Reference: ewd-benli-recycling

Source: Maritime Shipping News