12 September 2011

ARN concludes study into fabrication and scrapping of safe ships:

In recent times, ARN has not exclusively been focusing on the interface between recycling and automobility. On behalf of the world association of super yacht builders (SYBAss), a project relating to the shipbuilding sector was recently concluded; new legislation has been proposed in order to make the scrapping of ships safer and more environmentally-friendly. The results of the study have made clear to shipyards just what they can expect, and how they need to respond to the possible new legislation.

Safe fabrication and scrapping:
In the legislation, a relationship is established between the fabrication and dismantling of a safe ship. A ship is described as safe if it contains no hazardous substances. In that respect, the legislation will affect both the scrapping of ships and the fabrication of new ships.

From proposal to law:
ARN Advisory's report explained the development of the possible legislation from proposal through to definitive law. Requirements will be imposed on the use and registration of the use of hazardous substances. Certain materials will be banned entirely, while others will be subject to strict restrictions. All hazardous substances used throughout the ship must be carefully registered. Ships must be handed over with a complete and conclusive inventory. It may sound simple but in practice it means that the chemical composition of all components and systems fitted on board must be known. In an air conditioning system alone, there are huge numbers of different rings in different materials. All in all, both in technical and administrative terms, the legislation will have a major impact.

Use of systems from automotive industry:
Interviews with shipyards in the study reveal that the fabrication of commercial vessels using current working methods is not possible without using any hazardous substances. This does not apply to the building of super yachts. By using systems from the automotive industry, complete registration can be guaranteed. In this way, risks to the people eventually scrapping the vessel can be avoided. As a result, the occasional super yacht that arrives at the scrapping yard will has no risk of representing a hazard for the environment or human health.

Source: ARN. 26 April 2011

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