The NGO Shipbreaking Platform and Transport and
Environment (T&E) have criticized Maersk Group’s decision to beach their
end-of-life vessels in Alang, India. But, Four of the 167 ship recycling yards
have won compliance status with a global regime that seeks to ensure that
redundant ships are disposed of safely and in an environmentally sound manner,
says a report in the Livemint.
The recycling yards are located on the coast of
Alang-Sosiya in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar district, the world’s largest stretch of
ship-breaking beaches.
The NGO denounced Maersk Group’s decision to beach
their end-of-life vessels in India. The world’s leading container ship owner
was previously guided by a progressive policy on ship recycling: its old
vessels were dismantled in modern ship recycling facilities in either China,
Turkey or Europe. Maersk’s decision to resort to the low-cost beaching method
in India undermines European efforts to improve global conditions and the
company’s position as industry leader.
The Platform had welcomed Maersk’s initial idea to set
up a long-term cooperation with stakeholders in India provided that the
objective was to set up a modern ship recycling facility in line with the
safety and environmental requirements set out by the European Ship Recycling
Regulation.
However, the hasty decision to sell off end-of-life
vessels to Alang shows that the decision is merely driven by profits. In times
of low freight rates, Maersk intends to boost its profits by selling to yards
that do not comply with European standards.
Meanwhile, RL Kalthia Ship Breaking Pvt. Ltd, Priya
Blue Industries Pvt. Ltd, Leela Ship Recycling Pvt. Ltd and Shree Ram Group
have been issued compliance status, marking the first time that such
recognition has been given to ship breakers in South Asia.
It goes a long way in dispelling doubts about the
beaching method of breaking ships practised along a 10-km stretch of
Alang-Sosiya, often subject to criticism for its lax safety and health aspects,
said experts.
Recently, the Gujarat State government has announced
'Ship Recycling Policy-2015' to give a boost to the ship recycling industry at
Alang, Asia's biggest ship-breaking yard which is passing through a slump.
The policy extends utilisation period of ship-breaking
plots to 10 years from five years, and provides for resizing, readjustment,
realignment of the plots to enable accommodation of bigger vessels in a safe
manner.
"Ship recycling is an eco-friendly activity which
provides direct-indirect employment to a large number of people. Ship recycling
industry fulfils 1-2 per cent steel demand of India and saves substantial
amount of natural resources, investment and carbon footprint," says the
government.
Alang has 10 km long sea shore with presence of 167
plots that are give on lease by Gujarat Maritime Board. Ship breaking activity
kicked off here in year 1983, and so far over 7,000 ships are recycled which
has produced 54 million LDT steel.
Source: marine
link. 15 February 2016
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