The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has announced it will introduce mandatory ship-recycling regulations in 2008-2009.

The new regulations will be legally-binding and globally-applicable and IMO is now developing a new mandatory instrument to provide such regulations, said IMO secretary-general Efthimios Mitropoulos.

The London-based IMO is the United Nations agency with responsibility for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of marine pollution by ships. The organisation also adopted a new convention on the removal of wrecks that may either hazardous to shipping or threatening to the environment.

The World Maritime Day 2007, with the theme of "IMO's response to current environmental challenges", will be celebrated on September 27 this year.