Leading European ship recycling technology provider Greendock has come up with a new solution and technology to save the ship-breaking industry in Bangladesh.
Greendock has already set up a corporate office in Chittagong near the location to operate day-to-day business to build a dockyard facility in the port city.
This facility will allow the ship-breakers to restart their activities and there will be zero pollution and zero accident during the demolition of vessels. This is the only worldwide patent technology which will allow demolition of a vessel of 10,000-15,000 LWT in 20 to 30 days without pollution or accident.
The Dutch company has conducted a Feasibility Study to guide all stakeholders in the sector to perform together towards a common goal. The report for Bangladesh part is expected to be published at the beginning of the next year.
As a part of the study Greendock team has met European Commission, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Industries, International Labour Organization (ILO), International Finance Corporation, Labour leaders, Ship Breakers Association and Foreign financial institutions in Bangladesh. All of them agreed to co-operate in setting up a model Yard first which can be an example in the sector.
Quoting the study Doebren Mulder, a Dutch national and Inventor of the technology said, "Whereas Bangladesh is holding the largest share of the market, none of these sites used for Ship Dismantling has a proper planning. They did not find also any solution to prevent pollution of soil, water and waste reception facilities. Ship Scrapping is an important source of raw materials in Bangladesh. It derives 80 to 90 % of its steel from end-of-life ships and the industry provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of workers directly and indirectly. So this sector should be first saved by adopting the new technology."
Following a recent High Court order life-end vessel import has been stopped and the sector is now in complete uncertainty.
Mulder said, we have gone through the high court directives. Greendock technology will permit to maintain all these directives and international norms including Basel Convention in which Bangladesh is a signatory. He said, the proposed government policy will also encourage the ship breakers to care about environment and safety of workers.
Qumrul Islam Chowdhury, Greendock Resident director in Chittagong said, "Following High Court Directives and government policy that has stopped import of scrap ships during the last 6 months is damaging and detrimental to the growth of a booming sector. This will create a huge crisis in the steel industry with the existing volume of raw materials to meet country's need for barely one more month."
He said, "Everybody is talking about environment and safety issue but no one is giving any solution. Only good news is that Prime Minister and other decision makers of the government have declared tosave the industry in a proper manner and that is why we have invited this pioneer Dutch Company to do something for this promising sector."
Qumrul said, "We are now asking for an Expression of interest from the private local and foreign investors to take the opportunity to adopt Greendock Technology.
Interests have been already shown from some reputed leading company in the sector. After receiving all the proposals Greendock will identify the potential partner on the basis of first come first serve."
Mulder said, "Greendock is now ready to transfer experience and practices in relation to dealing with the risks posed by asbestos, thus helping to raise the standards of protection and precaution among the workers. The total project for the dismantling part is estimated at 50 million Euros, including a waste incinerator to change waste into energy."
Greendock can now dismantle about 24 vessels in a year, Mulder told. When asked why Greendock has chosen Bangladesh, he said they have found it much more competitive than its rival countries, including China and India, in the ship-breaking industry. 'Bangladesh is a booming market for ship recycling.' About 1,200 workers, out of a total of 1,20,000 in 200 ship breaking yards, die every year. We have tosave the worker and environment but also the industry. To eliminate headache cutting the head is not a good idea-he said.
He mentioned that as many as 40,000 seagoing ships have been playing trade routes across the world and these vessels would be available in a very cheaper price if Greendock technology established. We are already in contact with these shipping companies.
Source: Dhaka, Tuesday November 9 2010
Greendock has already set up a corporate office in Chittagong near the location to operate day-to-day business to build a dockyard facility in the port city.
This facility will allow the ship-breakers to restart their activities and there will be zero pollution and zero accident during the demolition of vessels. This is the only worldwide patent technology which will allow demolition of a vessel of 10,000-15,000 LWT in 20 to 30 days without pollution or accident.
The Dutch company has conducted a Feasibility Study to guide all stakeholders in the sector to perform together towards a common goal. The report for Bangladesh part is expected to be published at the beginning of the next year.
As a part of the study Greendock team has met European Commission, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Ministry of Industries, International Labour Organization (ILO), International Finance Corporation, Labour leaders, Ship Breakers Association and Foreign financial institutions in Bangladesh. All of them agreed to co-operate in setting up a model Yard first which can be an example in the sector.
Quoting the study Doebren Mulder, a Dutch national and Inventor of the technology said, "Whereas Bangladesh is holding the largest share of the market, none of these sites used for Ship Dismantling has a proper planning. They did not find also any solution to prevent pollution of soil, water and waste reception facilities. Ship Scrapping is an important source of raw materials in Bangladesh. It derives 80 to 90 % of its steel from end-of-life ships and the industry provides jobs for hundreds of thousands of workers directly and indirectly. So this sector should be first saved by adopting the new technology."
Following a recent High Court order life-end vessel import has been stopped and the sector is now in complete uncertainty.
Mulder said, we have gone through the high court directives. Greendock technology will permit to maintain all these directives and international norms including Basel Convention in which Bangladesh is a signatory. He said, the proposed government policy will also encourage the ship breakers to care about environment and safety of workers.
Qumrul Islam Chowdhury, Greendock Resident director in Chittagong said, "Following High Court Directives and government policy that has stopped import of scrap ships during the last 6 months is damaging and detrimental to the growth of a booming sector. This will create a huge crisis in the steel industry with the existing volume of raw materials to meet country's need for barely one more month."
He said, "Everybody is talking about environment and safety issue but no one is giving any solution. Only good news is that Prime Minister and other decision makers of the government have declared tosave the industry in a proper manner and that is why we have invited this pioneer Dutch Company to do something for this promising sector."
Qumrul said, "We are now asking for an Expression of interest from the private local and foreign investors to take the opportunity to adopt Greendock Technology.
Interests have been already shown from some reputed leading company in the sector. After receiving all the proposals Greendock will identify the potential partner on the basis of first come first serve."
Mulder said, "Greendock is now ready to transfer experience and practices in relation to dealing with the risks posed by asbestos, thus helping to raise the standards of protection and precaution among the workers. The total project for the dismantling part is estimated at 50 million Euros, including a waste incinerator to change waste into energy."
Greendock can now dismantle about 24 vessels in a year, Mulder told. When asked why Greendock has chosen Bangladesh, he said they have found it much more competitive than its rival countries, including China and India, in the ship-breaking industry. 'Bangladesh is a booming market for ship recycling.' About 1,200 workers, out of a total of 1,20,000 in 200 ship breaking yards, die every year. We have tosave the worker and environment but also the industry. To eliminate headache cutting the head is not a good idea-he said.
He mentioned that as many as 40,000 seagoing ships have been playing trade routes across the world and these vessels would be available in a very cheaper price if Greendock technology established. We are already in contact with these shipping companies.
Source: Dhaka, Tuesday November 9 2010
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