01 February 2015

More than 1,000 scrapped:

More than 1,000 ships were scrapped worldwide during 2014, according to data released from NGO Shipbreaking Platform.

Out of a total 1,026 vessels, 641 were sold to breakers’ yards in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

German shipowner Ernst Komrowski topped the list of companies that sent their ships to the South Asian beaches, Shipbreaking Platform said.

Hanjin Shipping came second, with Switzerland-based Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Brazil’s Petrobras following.

Greek owners sold 70 vessels (76% of all Greece-controlled vessels binned) to South Asian breakers, while Chinese companies sold only 39% of their old tonnage into the region.

The Platform reported 23 deaths and 66 severe injuries on the demolition beaches.

It added 15 ships changed their flag to non-European Union states just weeks before reaching South Asia.

Patrizia Heidegger, executive director of Shipbreaking Platform, said: “It is time for the global leaders in shipping to commit clean and safe ship recycling.

“Instead of selling to intermediaries and losing leverage of their vessel, shipowners can talk to ship recycling experts and negotiate directly with modern ship recycling facilities.

“Teekay and Hapag-Lloyd’s decision last year to adopt responsible ship recycling policies shows that shipowners can make alternative choices.”

Source: tradewinds news. 26 January 2014

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