China is looking at reopening its ship recycling yards to foreign owners from as early as next year.

Chinese shipbreakers have not been allowed to handle foreign ships since a ban came in place in January 2019 as part of president Xi Jinping’s environmental protection efforts, which have seen a long list of waste products barred from entering the People's Republic in recent years. However, following extensive lobbying, a U-turn on the policy is deemed likely, giving international owners once...