12 January 2013

India achieves all-time shipbreaking high:



India: Shipbreaking yards in India broke all previous records in dismantling well over 500 vessels last year, according to experts at Star Matrix.

It states in a report published in late 2012: 'India makes history in terms of maximum number of ships beached this year, with 527 vessels making an average of 1.4 ships beached per day. With 5.2 million tonnes being recycled from ships, ship recycling in India contributed to 9% of total steel manufactured in India.' Furthermore, 52 ships were reported as arriving at the Alang shipbreaking hub during the final week of 2012.

Though optimism characterised the sector in Bangladesh towards the end of last year, more movements and bigger vessels are expected by mid-January 2013, remarks Star Matrix. And it adds that China's demolition market 'has again geared up with a little influx in price' - a development which subsequently 'opened doors' for ship owners to benefit from competitive offers from markets in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as China.

The demolition experts have also shared a theory as to why ships in the 1000 to 6500 ldt range generally command lower rates, arguing that they typically make their end-of-life voyage to Mumbai ship recycling yards, resulting in a complete change in shipbreaking estimations and costing.

As opposed to the Alang yards, Mumbai boasts some 12-15 breaking plots which are all operated on a rental basis, thus putting breakers 'at the mercy of Bombay port trust for the permissions and the approvals of breaking a particular ship'. Mumbai has been breaking some 60 small ships a year, according to Star Matrix.

Source: recycling international.  7 January 2013

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