18 August 2011

Developments and Issues on Recycling of Ships:

Abstract:

The paper reviews the background to the adoption of IMO Assembly resolution A.981(24) on the development of a mandatory instrument for minimizing environmental and safety risks from ship recycling. The roles of the International Labour Organization and the Basel Convention on ship recycling matters are also discussed. The structure of the draft Convention is explained together with the mechanisms it will provide to Parties for controlling ships and recycling facilities. Finally, the paper introduces a number of issues currently under discussion, such as: the development of inventories of hazardous materials for new and for existing ships; the surveying regime to be established under the new Convention; how will the Convention deal with the issue of the decontamination of ships of hazardous materials; the exclusion of government owned ships from the new Convention, and the envisaged inclusion of domestic ships; the provisions for reporting to competent authorities and the related issue of prior informed consent.

Keywords:
Ship recycling; ship scrapping; shipbreaking; ship dismantling; Convention; recycling facilities; pre-cleaning; decontamination; government owned ships; domestic ships; surveys; inventory; hazardous materials; prior informed consent.

Author: Dr Nikos Mikelis

Author Affiliation: Implementation Officer, Marine Environment Division, International Maritime Organization

Corresponding Author: London SE1 7SR, United Kingdom
Email: nmikelis@imo.org    Fax: +44 20 75873210

Source: The International Labour Organisation. 2006

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