At ARKB Shipping, we believe the future of ship recycling lies in transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of maritime assets.

To support this vision, we developed TRACE™ — the Transparent Recycling Assurance & Compliance Environment.

TRACE™ is an internal framework designed to ensure that program initiates and their vessels are handled with verifiable responsibility from acquisition to final dismantling.

The program integrates commercial discipline with environmental oversight, giving shipowners, brokers, and financial partners confidence that vessels are managed responsibly throughout the recycling process.

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TRACE™

Transparent Recycling Assurance, Compliance & End-Material Tracking

TRACE™ is our enhanced transparency and compliance framework designed to exceed the requirements of modern ship recycling regulations while strengthening accountability across the entire recycling lifecycle. While most industry systems focus on regulatory compliance at the point of vessel delivery, TRACE™ extends oversight from the initial acquisition of a vessel through dismantling and into the downstream supply chain of recovered materials. The framework has been designed to align with and exceed the principles referenced by the International Maritime Organization, the standards of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, and regulatory expectations under the EU Ship Recycling Regulation as well as the ship recycling framework administered through the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

TRACE™ introduces a lifecycle transparency model that documents every critical stage of the recycling process, beginning with vessel sourcing and due diligence. Prior to acquisition, vessels are screened for sanctions exposure, ownership history, environmental liabilities, hazardous material declarations, and regulatory eligibility. Each transaction is supported by a documented compliance profile confirming the vessel’s recycling pathway and ensuring alignment with applicable regulatory regimes before a purchase agreement is finalized.

Once acquired, TRACE™ establishes structured delivery oversight. Voyage planning, flag status, documentation integrity, and delivery procedures are monitored to ensure the vessel reaches its designated recycling facility through a controlled and compliant process. The program coordinates documentation across shipowners, brokers, insurers, recycling yards, and relevant authorities to maintain a transparent chain of responsibility throughout the delivery stage.

At the recycling yard level, TRACE™ integrates yard eligibility verification and operational monitoring. Facilities must demonstrate compliance with internationally recognized safety, environmental, and labor standards. Dismantling activities are documented through structured reporting that confirms adherence to approved recycling plans and responsible handling of hazardous materials such as oils, asbestos, refrigerants, and other controlled substances.

A defining feature of TRACE™ is End-Material Transparency, which extends oversight beyond dismantling itself. The program records the downstream sale and distribution of recovered materials including steel, machinery, and recyclable components. Where possible, TRACE™ documents the industrial buyers, steel mills, and recycling facilities that receive recovered materials, providing visibility into how ship-derived resources are reintegrated into the industrial supply chain. This additional layer of transparency strengthens circular-economy accountability and provides stakeholders with confidence that recovered materials are responsibly reused.

TRACE™ also incorporates post-project verification and internal review procedures. Following the completion of recycling activities, project documentation is compiled and reviewed to confirm compliance outcomes, environmental handling procedures, and downstream material distribution records. These reviews contribute to ongoing operational refinement and ensure consistency across future recycling transactions.

Through TRACE™, our objective is to demonstrate that responsible ship recycling extends far beyond regulatory minimums. By combining structured compliance oversight, transparent documentation, and downstream material tracking, the program represents a next-generation approach to ship recycling—one that aligns commercial efficiency with environmental accountability and long-term transparency across the maritime circular economy.

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Each vessel processed under TRACE™ receives a Digital Recycling Passport, which serves as a consolidated record of the vessel’s recycling lifecycle. The passport compiles key documentation including vessel compliance screening, Inventory of Hazardous Materials verification, recycling yard designation, delivery milestones, dismantling progress summaries, and hazardous material management records. By organizing these elements into a single structured record, TRACE™ creates a documented lifecycle pathway that supports transparency and responsible reporting for stakeholders involved in the recycling transaction.

TRACE™ also incorporates oversight at the recycling facility level through yard eligibility verification and documentation of dismantling activities. Recycling yards engaged in TRACE™ transactions are assessed for their operational capabilities, safety practices, and environmental handling procedures. Dismantling activities are recorded through structured reporting that confirms the implementation of approved recycling plans and responsible handling of hazardous materials such as oils, asbestos, refrigerants, and other regulated substances.

A key feature of TRACE™ is End-Material Transparency, which extends documentation beyond the dismantling stage. Ship recycling generates significant volumes of reusable materials, particularly steel, which re-enter industrial supply chains through traders, processors, and steel mills. TRACE™ records the downstream movement of recovered materials where possible, documenting estimated recovered tonnage and the industrial recipients responsible for processing or reuse. This additional level of visibility supports circular economy principles increasingly promoted by institutions such as the European Commission and provides stakeholders with confidence that recovered resources are responsibly reintegrated into the global industrial ecosystem.

To further enhance transparency for market participants, TRACE™ is developing a broker and stakeholder transparency dashboard, which will be released in the near future. The platform is intended to provide authorized shipbrokers and partners with visibility into key transaction milestones including vessel acquisition confirmation, delivery progress, recycling yard designation, and project completion summaries. The dashboard is designed to improve operational clarity while maintaining appropriate commercial confidentiality.