31 January 2017

Ship recycling and HazMat management

Recycling & Hazmat Management

We provide reputable certification as well as reliable HazMat inventory services and training for your eco-friendly ship recycling.

The Hong Kong Convention and EU Regulation on Ship Recycling stipulate a host of new requirements, including reliable data and an IHM. The challenge is complying with these over the course of a ship’s entire lifetime.

With more than 300 highly qualified surveyors and ship recycling experts, we offer you the densest global network in this field – both for new ships and fleets in service.

Our unique IHM Green Server (IGS) software supports all aspects of the IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials) process. It enables you to manage huge data volumes smoothly, which ensures excellent data quality for the efficient maintenance of the IHM during a ship’s operational phase.

Furthermore, we provide IHM and HazMat courses. They help you improve your business performance and achieve your goals through targeted training courses. As we constantly keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the IHM market and IMO, we are your perfect partner to support you in HazMat management – worldwide.

Your reliable partner for all your recycling and HazMat needs:
- Compliance with current legal regulations (SOLAS, MARPOL, HKC, EUSRR), particularly regarding asbestos and Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS)
- Smoother management of maintenance and investments
- A higher resale value of your ship
- A better image as a green company, with proof thanks to our Environmental Passport
- Market advantage through better environmental performance
- A better health and safety environment on board your ships
- Enhancement of shipbuilding quality (asbestos and ODS-free status)
- Specific planning and action for requirements coming into force from 2016 onwards

Source: Det Norske Veritas.

Govt to establish ship recycling zone in Chittagong

A zone for ship recycling industry will be established in Chittagong and the industry owners will have to set up yards and conduct their activities within the zone.

The Cabinet on Monday gave approved the draft of "The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Law, 2017" in this regard.

The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam briefed the reporters after meeting, reports BSS.

Govt to establish ship recycling zone in Ctg

He said that the ship recycling industries will have to abide by the international law and conventions.

Under the new law, a new 11-member board will be constituted to oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries with an additional secretary of the Ministry of Industries as its chairman.

A representative each from the Ministries of Industries, Forests and Environment, Labour and Employment, and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, NBR, Chittagong Port Authority, President of the Ship Recycling Industries Association, and two members from the Ship Recycling Industries Association and the Director General of the Board will be included as member of the board.

The board will oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries and it will sit thrice a year.

About the punishment, the Cabinet Secretary said that if anyone establishes yard without permission, the punishment for such offence is maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million or maximum Tk 3 million fine or both.

Alam said the punishment for importing ship without NOC is two years jail or minimum Tk1 million fine or maximum Tk 3 million fine.

He said that if anybody brings a ship ashore and recycles it without NOC certificate, then the punishment is also maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million fine which could be maximum Tk 3 million.

The Cabinet Secretary said that the punishment for availing facility through fake certificate is maximum five years jail or minimum Tk 0.5 million as fine or maximum Tk 2 million in fine.

In the case of setting up yards outside of the zone, he said, the punishment is two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million as fine which could be as high as Tk 3 million.

Source: the financial express. 30 Jan 2017

Ship recycling must comply international rules, suggests draft law, "The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Law, 2017"
The cabinet on Monday gave its final nod to draft "The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Law, 2017", keeping provisions for tougher punishments to streamline the country's ship recycling industry.

The approval came from the regular weekly meeting of the cabinet held at Bangladesh Secretariat with premier Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, cabinet secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam said under the section 4 of the proposed law, a zone would be established in Chittagong for the ship recycling industry and the industry owners would have to set up yards and conduct their activities within the zone.

Besides, he said, the ship recycling industries would have to abide by the international law and conventions.

Under the new law, a new 11-member board will be constituted to oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries with an additional secretary of the industries ministry as its chairman.

The other members of the board include a representative each from the ministries of industries, forests and environment, labour and employment, and power, energy and mineral resources, NBR, chittagong port authority, president of the Ship Recycling Industries Association, and two members from the association to be nominated by the government and the director general of the board.

The board will oversee the activities of the ship recycling industries and it will sit thrice a year.

About the punishment, the cabinet secretary said that if anyone establishes yard without permission, the punishment for such offence is maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million or maximum of Tk 3 million fine or both.

Alam said the punishment for importing ship without NOC is two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million fine or maximum Tk 3 million fine.

He said that if anybody brings a ship ashore and recycles it without NOC certificate, then the punishment is also maximum two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million fine which could be maximum Tk 3 million.

The cabinet secretary said that the punishment for availing facility through fake certificate is maximum five years jail or minimum Tk 500,000 as fine or maximum Tk 2 million in fine.

In the case of setting up yards outside of the zone, he said, the punishment is two years jail or minimum Tk 1 million lakh as fine which could be as high as Tk 3 million.

Source: prothom alo. 30 January 2017

30 January 2017

Is Cosco Ship Scrapping Strategic?


Shanghai-listed Cosco Shipping Holdings, a subsidiary of Cosco Shipping Corporation Limited (Cosco Shipping), has revealed that it scrapped eight vessels during the fourth quarter of 2016.

The combined tonnage of the retired ships is around 410,000 dwt and they have been sold for a scrapping price of USD $31 million. The youngest ship sent to scrap was 15 years old. The disposal of the older vessels is seen as a move to lower the overall age of the fleet and in turn raise overall operational efficiency. According to the Hong Kong Exchange filing, the transaction resulted in a loss of $92.7 million.

The vessels that have been retired are: The 1998-built 3,400 teu Luo Ba He, 1997-built 5,618 teu Chuan He, 1997-built 5,618 teu COSCO Qingdao, 1997-built 5,618 teu Wan He, 1997-built 5,618 teu Yue He, 1997-built 5,618 teu Lu He, 2001-built 542 teu COSCO Ran, and 2001-built 542 teu COSCO Sakura. All of the ships were container vessels.

In a message to investors, Cosco said “As a result of the decommissioning of the vessels, the average age of vessels owned by the company has decreased, while the oil-saving level and overall environmental friendliness of the vessels have improved”.

They went on to say that “The board considers that the decommissioning of the vessels is conducive to enhancing the overall operational competitiveness of the shipping fleet of the company and is in the interest of the company and the shareholders as a whole”.

In recent related news, Cosco Shipping Ports announced their acquisition of a 16.82% stake in Qingdao Port International (QPI), operator of China's sixth busiest port.

Source: port technology. 25 Jan 2017

USS Independence nearly ready to depart following delays

The arrival of the USS Independence at the Port of Brownsville has been delayed by fears on the part of environmental regulators that some of the preparations for the ship’s departure from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard were polluting the water there.

According to a Jan. 10 article from the “Kitsap Sun,” the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington State Department of Ecology were concerned that the scraping of the ship’s hull by Navy divers — necessary to limit the spread of invasive species during the 16,000-mile trip to Texas — was putting toxic amounts of copper-based paint into the water and harming marine life.

On Jan. 6, divers began the weeks-long process of scraping a three-inch-deep layer of barnacles and other marine growth from the hull, according to the article. International Shipbreaking Ltd., part of the EMR Group, last August won the Navy contract to dismantle the mothballed “supercarrier,” commissioned in 1959 and decommissioned in 1998.

This will be the company’s third carrier. International Shipbreaking took delivery of the decommissioned USS Constellation in January 2015 and the retired USS Ranger in July 2015.

The Independence originally was scheduled to leave the Navy facility near Bremerton, Wash., under tow roughly two months ago and arrive in Brownsville in late February or mid-March. The original estimate was that the trip would take 4 1/2 months using an ocean-going tugboat.

Robert Berry, International Shipbreaking vice president, said the latest estimate is closer to two months since the company has elected to bring in an actual towing ship, which is faster than a tug. The issue that was preventing the vessel from leaving has been resolved, meanwhile, and the Independence should be ready to embark on its final journey as soon as the tow vessel arrives, he said.

“We don’t know exactly when,” Berry said. “Probably somewhere around the middle of February.”

The trip will take the Independence south from Puget Sound to the tip of South America, where it will navigate the Strait of Magellan before heading north up the eastern coast of South America to the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and finally the Brownsville Ship Channel. Berry said it should be relatively smooth sailing once the vessels get far enough south.

“It’s winter time here (in Bremerton), so it’ll be a little rough getting out of here, but down south its summertime,” he said. “It’s never really good weather down there, but it’s much better weather than normal.”

Source: Brownsville Herald. 29 January 2017

29 January 2017

With Bare Hands’: an immersive journey into the problems of shipbreaking

International media outlets publish ‘With bare hands’, the first multimedia and data-driven reporting project that documents the negative impacts on the environment and the human costs of shipbreaking in South Asia. Spanish daily newspaper El Pais and international news channel Al Jazeera are the first to make this reporting available.

Isacco Chiaf, graphic designer, and Tomaso Clavarino, journalist and photographer, are behind this outstanding project, which was funded by the European Journalism Centre. The two Italians travelled to Bangladesh and India, where dirty and dangerous scrapping is conducted on the tidal beaches of Chittagong and Alang. With texts, infographics, videos, photo-essays, interviews and maps, they have been able to show how shipbreaking activities are contributing to the destruction of the ecosystem and negatively affecting the lives of thousands of people.

“What impressed me the most during the days spent in Bangladesh and India, besides the extremely inhuman working conditions and evident pollution, was the difficulty to access this industry. Armed guards were securing the entry to the yards and our every move was tracked. The local police is clearly enmeshed with the ship breakers that don’t want their business practices revealed. That journalists and photographers are not welcome was clearly communicated. We still managed to penetrate this extremely closed industry – and the devastating stories we documented cannot be ignored,” says Tomaso Clavarino.

The multimedia platform highlights the issues of child labour, environmental pollution and lack of healthy and safe working and living conditions. Maps and graphs, based on the NGO Shipbreaking Platform’s data, focus on the practices of the shipping industry such as the use of flags of convenience and cases of illegal trafficking. Interviews with Patrizia Heidegger, the Platform’s executive director, and Muhammed Ali (Shahin), the Platform’s coordinator in Bangladesh, are also featured.

Source: port news. 26 January 2017

Rickmers Maritime scraps second ship in two months

Rickmers Maritime has sold its second container ship for scrap in as many months as the financially troubled Singapore-based charter ship manager struggles to pay off its debts.

Container lines and shipowners have been increasing scrapping activity to bring container shipping supply and demand in balance, but a surge in mega-ship deliveries in 2017 could make that goal elusive. Around 1.7 million 20-foot-equivalent units of container ship capacity are expected to be delivered in 2017, more than double the 717,000 TEUs that will likely be scrapped this year, according to IHS Markit data.

Rickmers said it will book an impairment loss of approximately $31.6 million in the fourth quarter for the sale of the Kaethe C Rickmers.

The 2004-built vessel with a capacity of 5,060 TEUs has a value of around $6.3 million, according to IHS Markit data.

Rickmers said the proceeds of the sale will go towards paying the operating costs of “secured” vessels under a loan facility by the HSH syndicate — the Singapore branch of Germany’s HSH Nordbank and DBS Bank — and partially repay the loan.

The sale of the Kaethe C Rickmers follows the disposal in November — also for demolition — of the seven-year-old, 4,250-TEU Rickmers India, the youngest vessel to be scrapped at the time, to partially pay off a loan from German bank Commerzbank AG.

The two sales have reduced Rickmers Maritime’s fleet to 14, all classic Panamax vessels of 4,000 to 5,100 TEUs that are facing a bleak future of tumbling freight rates and unemployment following the opening of the enlarged Panama Canal last summer that can handle ships of up to 13,500 TEUs.

Rickmers’ survival is under threat after bondholders rejected its planned debt restructuring measures at a meeting in late December.

The Rickmers India has lost its status as the youngest scrapped ship following reports that the 4,249 Hammonia Reederei, a German-owned vessel that is a few months younger, has been sold for demolition after coming off hire to Maersk Line in November.

Source: 26 January 2017

Greener ship recycling: DNV GL to certify 50 IHMs for Norddeutsche Reederei

DNV GL and Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt have signed a contract to carry out Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) certifications for the shipping company’s managed fleet of more than 50 vessels. The first vessel to undergo sampling and testing is the 3700 TEU container vessel Northern Dexterity. Once complete, this certification provides independent verification of the vessels’ IHM, as required by the European Ship Recycling Regulation.

“The IHM is an important step on the way to ensuring environmentally responsible ship recycling and therefore also important to us at Norddeutsche Reederei. DNV GL has long-standing experience in this field and we are pleased to be working with them on this,” says Dennys Wulf, Quality Management Director at Norddeutsche Reederei H. Schuldt.

“Norddeutsche Reederei has clearly demonstrated its commitment to establishing sustainable recycling practices and we at DNV GL are very pleased to have been chosen as a partner for this. Having fleets evaluated early on is something we recommend to all our customers, and this is an excellent example,” adds Gerhard Aulbert, Global Head of Practice Ship Recycling at DNV GL – Maritime.

The sampling and analyses on board Northern Dexterity is being carried out by hazmat specialists from the two independent laboratories exag GmbH Marine Consulting and QSU GmbH, under the supervision of DNV GL. The vessel is scheduled to receive the IHM certificate in February 2017. The project is expected to be completed by early 2018. The IHM is one of the cornerstones of the European Ship Recycling Regulation, according to which every EU-flagged newbuild has to carry an inventory of all hazardous materials contained in its structure or equipment with a statement of compliance by 31 December 2018. The IHM is also an important feature of the Hong Kong Convention, which is expected to enter into force in 2020.

About the EU Ship Recycling Regulation

The European Ship Recycling Regulation, in force since 30 December 2013, addresses the environmental and health issues associated with ship recycling while avoiding unnecessary economic burdens. Applicable to all EU-flagged vessels as well as non-EU-flagged ships calling at or anchoring in ports within the European Union, it accelerates the implementation of the requirements of the Hong Kong Convention and sets out responsibilities for shipowners and recycling facilities both within the EU and in other countries. Of around 60,000 ships around the world, about two thirds are affected by it.

Source: your ship building news. 27 January 2017

25 January 2017

ECSA sees one upside to the EU's scrapping regulations

The European Community Shipowners' Associations, ECSA, has voiced fierce criticism toward the EU's list of approved ship recycling facilities. But the association is now taking a more positive stance, viewing the list as a means that can help ensure implementation of the Hong Kong convention.

The ECSA, European Community Shipowners' Association, has been highly critical of the EU's list of shipbreaking facilities approved for scrapping EU-flagged vessels.

The shipowners have especially stressed the importance of not distorting competition between European and international shipowners, the latter of which are free to use facilities not cleared by the EU when scrapping vessels. Furthermore, there is far from sufficient capacity at the European facilities to handle the many ships which are expected to face scrapping in the coming years, the ECSA has warned. But now the association says that the EU list is not all bad for the carriers. In fact, it could help speed up the ratification of the shipowners' preferred directive, the global Hong Kong convention. "The EU list is a tool that can help push the ratification of the Hong Kong convention through. And for this, we need the EU to take into account the improvements which several yards in Alang have achieved," Benoit Loicq, head of safety and the environment at ECSA, tells ShippingWatch. Scrapping driven by money Including these yards on the EU list will serve as leverage to get the full IMO shipbreaking convention – the Hong Kong convention – settled. This should happen, even though critics point out that the conditions at the shipyards on the highly controversial scrapping beach Alang are still a far cry from the EU's standards, though several yards here have been certified according to the Hong Kong standards.

"It's really very positive what's happening in Alang. Of course there's room for improvement, but the yards are working on it and they should be cleared for the list," says Benoit Loicq: "The idea is also to show the yards at Alang which have yet to upgrade their facilities and apply for inclusion on the EU list that it pays to make the improvements. Commercial interests are also part of the shipbreaking market, and I believe that this should be taken into account as well. I view this as a transition period, and that we should take advantage of this period and help out in terms of inclusion on the EU list as well as ratification of the Hong Kong convention." Reply to non-EU facilities this year The EU Commission published its list of approved EU-based shipbreaking facilities just before Christmas, which features a total of 18 approved yards. Applications from non-EU shipyards have yet to be processed, but the EU Commission informed that 18 shipyards located outside of Europe have applied for inclusion on the list. These yards are expected to receive response during 2017. The debate concerning scrapping on, especially, beaches in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan has raged among shipowners, yards, authorities, and NGOs throughout 2016. The debate was largely triggered by Maersk's decision to scrap several container ships at a facility in Alang in India. The intensity of the stems from the fact that yards in Alang and elsewhere rely on beaching, in which vessels are sailed up onto the beach and are dismantled in the tidal zone, a process which has historically resulted in many deaths among workers and polluted the environment. ECSA recently published numbers showing how little yard capacity the EU-approved facilities represent. "Approximately 150 container vessels were sent for recycling in 2016, the current EU list would cater for only 16 smaller container vessels, taking into consideration limitation of EU yards in terms of length and vessel draft. And that is just for one type of vessels. We thus strongly encourage the Commission to enlarge the list to non-EU facilities as soon as possible," said ECSA Secretary General Patrick Verhoeven earlier in January.

Source: shipping watch.

23 January 2017

The development of the Hong Kong Convention

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 (the Hong Kong Convention), was adopted at a diplomatic conference held in Hong Kong, China, from 11 to 15 May 2009, which was attended by delegates from 63 countries.

The Convention is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose any unnecessary risks to human health, safety and to the environment.

The Hong Kong Convention intends to address all the issues around ship recycling, including the fact that ships sold for scrapping may contain environmentally hazardous substances such as asbestos, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, ozone-depleting substances and others. It also addresses concerns raised about the working and environmental conditions at many of the world's ship recycling locations.

The text of the Hong Kong Convention was developed over three and a half years, with input from IMO Member States and relevant non-governmental organizations, and in co-operation with the International Labour Organization and the Parties to the Basel Convention.

Regulations in the new Convention cover: the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships; the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements.

Upon entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention, ships to be sent for recycling will be required to carry an inventory of hazardous materials, which will be specific to each ship. An appendix to the Convention provides a list of hazardous materials the installation or use of which is prohibited or restricted in shipyards, ship repair yards, and ships of Parties to the Convention. Ships will be required to have an initial survey to verify the inventory of hazardous materials, additional surveys during the life of the ship, and a final survey prior to recycling.

Ship recycling yards will be required to provide a "Ship Recycling Plan", specifying the manner in which each ship will be recycled, depending on its particulars and its inventory. Parties will be required to take effective measures to ensure that ship recycling facilities under their jurisdiction comply with the Convention.

The following guidelines have been developed and adopted to assist States in the early implementation of the Convention’s technical standards:

2011 Guidelines for the Development of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials, adopted by resolution MEPC.197(62);
2011 Guidelines for the Development of the Ship Recycling Plan, adopted by resolution MEPC.196(62);
2012 Guidelines for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling, adopted by resolution MEPC.210(63); and
- 2012 Guidelines for the Authorization of Ship Recycling Facilities, adopted by resolution MEPC.211(63).

Also two further guidelines have been developed and adopted to assist States in the implementation of the Convention after it enters into force:

2012 Guidelines for the survey and certification of ships under the Hong Kong Convention, adopted by resolution MEPC.222(64); and
- 2012 Guidelines for the inspection of ships under the Hong Kong Convention, adopted by resolution MEPC.223(64).

Entry into force criteria
The Convention is open for accession by any State. It will enter into force -
24 months after the date on which 15 States, representing 40 per cent of world merchant shipping by gross tonnage, have either signed it without reservation as to ratification, acceptance or approval or have deposited instruments of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession with the Secretary-General. Furthermore, the combined maximum annual ship recycling volume of those States must, during the preceding 10 years, constitute not less than 3 per cent of their combined merchant shipping tonnage.  For more detailed information please refer to resolution MEPC.178(59) on the calculation of the recycling capacity for meeting the entry-into-force conditions of the Hong Kong Convention and document MEPC 64/INF.2/Rev.1 on the same topic.

Historic background
IMO’s role in the recycling of ships, the terminology used to refer to ship scrapping, was first raised at the 44th MEPC session in March 2000 following which a correspondence group was established to research this issue and provide information about current ship recycling practices and suggestions on the role of IMO.

Guidelines were developed by the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and finalized at the MEPC 49th session in July 2003. These guidelines were adopted as the: Guidelines on Ship Recycling by the 23rd Assembly in November-December 2003 by resolution A.962(23) and were subsequently amended by resolution A.980(24).

Resolution A.962(23) IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling give advice to all stakeholders in the recycling process, including administrations of ship building and maritime equipment supplying countries, flag, port and recycling States, as well as intergovernmental organizations and commercial bodies such as shipowners, ship builders, repairers and recycling yards.

The guidelines noted that, in the process of recycling ships, virtually nothing goes to waste. The materials and equipment are almost entirely reused. Steel is reprocessed to become, for instance, reinforcing rods for use in the construction industry or as corner castings and hinges for containers. Ships' generators are reused ashore. Batteries find their way into the local economy. Hydrocarbons on board become reclaimed oil products to be used as fuel in rolling mills or brick kilns. Light fittings find further use on land. Furthermore, new steel production from recycled steel requires only one third of the energy used for steel production from raw materials. Recycling thus makes a positive contribution to the global conservation of energy and resources and, in the process, employs a large, if predominantly unskilled, workforce. Properly handled, ship recycling is, without question, a "green" industry. However, the guidelines also recognized that, although the principle of ship recycling may be sound, the working practices and environmental standards in the yards often leave much to be desired. While ultimate responsibility for conditions in the yards has to lie with the countries in which they are situated, other stakeholders must be encouraged to contribute towards minimising potential problems in the yards.

The Guidelines on Ship Recycling also introduced the concept of a "Green Passport" for ships. It was envisaged that this document, containing an inventory of all materials used in the construction of a ship that are potentially hazardous to human health or the environment, would accompany the ship throughout its working life. Produced by the shipyard at the construction stage and passed to the purchaser of the vessel, the document would be in a format that would enable any subsequent changes in materials or equipment to be recorded. Successive owners of the ship would maintain the accuracy of the Green Passport and incorporate into it all relevant design and equipment changes, with the final owner delivering it, with the vessel, to the recycling yard.

Subsequently, at its 53rd session in July 2005, the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) agreed that the IMO should develop, as a high priority, a new instrument on recycling of ships with a view to providing legally binding and globally applicable ship recycling regulations for international shipping and for recycling facilities. MEPC 53 also agreed that the new IMO instrument on ship recycling should include regulations for the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships; the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling (certification/reporting requirements). MEPC 53 further agreed that the above-mentioned instrument should be completed in time for its consideration and adoption in the biennium 2008-2009.

The IMO Assembly in November-December 2005 subsequently agreed that IMO should develop a new legally-binding instrument on ship recycling. Assembly resolution A.981(24) New legally-binding instrument on Ship Recycling requested the Marine Environment Protection Committee to develop a new instrument that would provide regulations for:

- the design, construction, operation and preparation of ships so as to  facilitate safe and environmentally sound recycling, without compromising the safety and operational efficiency of ships;
- the operation of ship recycling facilities in a safe and environmentally sound manner; and
the establishment of an appropriate enforcement mechanism for ship recycling, incorporating certification and reporting requirements.

The resolution referred to the urgent need for IMO to contribute to the development of an effective solution to the issue of ship recycling, which will minimize, in the most effective, efficient and sustainable way, the environmental, occupational health and safety risks related to ship recycling, taking into account the particular characteristics of world maritime transport and the need for securing the smooth withdrawal of ships that have reached the end of their operating lives.

Source: international maritime organization.
http://www.imo.org/en/ourwork/environment/shiprecycling/pages/default.aspx

22 January 2017

Victim families of Gadani shipyard blast compensated:

TIMERGARA: The Gadani Shipbreaking Corporation on Saturday distributed compensation cheques worth Rs108 million among nine victims of Gadani shipbreaking incident from Upper Dir, Lower Dir and Swat.

The incident occurred on November 1, 20016 in which of 29 labourers lost their lives. Nine labourers from Malakand division were among the dead.

A function was held at Khall in Lower Dir. District Council member Malik Muhammad Zeb made efforts to help the victim families get compensation.

Seth Abdul Ghani, Babu Karim Jan and Gul Badshah of the Gadani Shipbreaking Corporation, Member Provincial Assembly (MPA) Sahibzada Sanaullah, Malik Sher Bahadur, Badshah Muhammad, member Tehsil Council Khall, Malik Aftab Hayat and family members of the victims were present on the occasion.

The Gadani Shipbreaking Corporation representatives distributed cheques worth Rs20,00,000 among nine victim families belonging to Upper and Lower Dir.  The Gadani Shipbreaking Corporation provided Rs15,00,000 while the Balochistan government gave Rs5,00,000.

Speaking on the occasion, Gadani Shipbreaking Corporation representatives said advanced tools had been provided to the labourers working in shipyard but sometimes they didn’t follow safety measures, which resulted in the loss of human lives. Malik Muhammad Zeb Khan lauded the Balochistan government for compensating the victims and deplored the indifferent attitude of the federal government.

Source: the news. 22 January 2017

21 January 2017

Peterside says NIMASA positioned to increase Nigeria’s GDP:

Peterside told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that if the potentials of the sector were optimised, they would lead to the growth of the economy

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said the agency was positioned to contribute substantially to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.

Peterside told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that if the potentials of the sector were optimised, they would lead to the growth of the economy.
He said: “We are looking at the entire gamut of mix that is necessary to unleash our potential in the industry

“All I can say is that going forward, maritime is positioned to contribute substantially to our GDP and by extension the growth of our economy.”

Peterside said that many countries had optimised advantages of their maritime sub-sector to grow their GDP and it had yielded results and urged Nigeria to replicate same.

He said: “If you look at the economy of the Philippians, seafarers contribute more than 11 per cent to their GDP.

“If you look at Bangladesh, it is called the graveyard of ships, in terms of ship breaking, ship recycling, that small sector in the maritime industry contributes substantially to their economy.

“Now if you look at India, again seafarers contribute substantially to the economy of India.

“If you look at Korea, ship building contributes to the economy of Korea.

“If you look at China, the officer cadre that boards vessel or that ply vessels or that mounts vessels everywhere in the world, most of them are Chinese.
“If you look at Singapore, by simply being a trans-shipment hub, it is the mainstay of the economy of Singapore.

“Singapore has a population of four million persons; they have got only one port that can receive 1,000 ships at a time, coming at a time; there is no port like that in Nigeria.

“So if you look at all these countries, they have optimised advantage of one sub-sector or the other in the maritime sector.

“Why can’t we replicate same in Nigeria?”

Peterside said Nigeria had population, agile and talented young men and women, adding: “We could export around the world and earn as much as they earn from Philippians.

“We have the advantage of location; if you notice, Nigeria is midway between Central Africa and the rest of West Africa.

“We are also a gateway to many land locked countries: Chad, Niger and other land locked countries, so we could also serve as a gateway to landlocked countries.

“We are exploring that to serve as a trans-shipment hub for the whole of West and Central Africa as well as land locked neighbours.

“So we are looking at building professional capacity in terms of personnel with human element in shipping; we are looking at serving as trans-shipment hub by reason of the advantage of location.”

Peterside said the government intends to look into the exportation and importation of vessels to ensure its optimal usage in the country.

Source: the eagle online.

ECSA Calls for Global Ship Recycling List

The European Commission recently published its first edition of the E.U. list of approved ship recycling facilities. At this stage, it only features yards situated in Europe and reaches under 30 percent of the E.U.’s own recycling capacity target. For the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA), this demonstrates clearly that yards outside Europe should get E.U. recognition to raise standards worldwide and respond to demand.

The first edition of the European list of ship recycling facilities includes 18 European recycling yards that are deemed safe for workers and environmentally sound, in accordance with the relevant requirements of the 2013 E.U. Ship Recycling Regulation. The Commission received applications from yards in other countries as well but these applications are still being reviewed. Site inspections will be conducted to check their credentials followed by a decision in 2017 on their inclusion in the list.

“Whilst the E.U. list can serve to raise ship recycling standards worldwide and respond to recycling demand, the current list clearly shows the need to include third country yards and especially those that already meet the international standards laid down in the Hong Kong Convention for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling,” said Patrick Verhoeven, ECSA Secretary General.

The IMO Hong Kong Convention has already a profound impact on the ground as recycling yards have taken action to comply with its measures, even when the Convention itself is not yet in force, he says. This is notably the case for a number of yards in Alang, India. Giving these yards E.U. recognition will encourage others to raise their standards and apply for inclusion as well.

It will furthermore ensure sufficient and adequate capacity on the E.U. list, not just in terms of volume, but also in terms of the size of ships that can be dismantled, says Verhoeven. In turn, this will facilitate a swift entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention, creating a flag neutral level playing field in the global ship recycling market.

“Approximately 150 container vessels were sent for recycling in 2016, the current E.U. list would cater for only 16 smaller container vessels, taking into consideration limitation of E.U. yards in terms of length and vessel draft. And that is just for one type of vessels. We thus strongly encourage the Commission to enlarge the list to non-E.U. facilities as soon as possible,” said Verhoeven.

All vessels sailing under an E.U. flag will be required to use an approved ship recycling facility once the E.U. Ship Recycling Regulation effectively applies. This will either be six months after the date that the combined maximum annual ship recycling output of the ship recycling facilities included in the European list constitutes not less than 2.5 million light displacement tons (LDT) or on December 31, 2018, whichever date occurs first.

Source: maritime-executive. 15 January 2017

Still No Justice For Pakistani Shipyard Workers

On November 1 of last year, a horrific fire at the Gadani shipbreaking yard in the Pakistani province of Balochistan claimed the lives of at least 32 workers, leaving scores of others with life-altering injuries, including severe burns. In the more than two months since the accident, government officials have turned a blind eye to the long-suffering workers’ demands for justice and safe working conditions. Meanwhile, several more workers have been killed at Gadani in a series of accidents over the past few weeks.

fire at the Gadani shipbreaking yard

On January 8, a young worker fell to his death from a worn down cargo ship when the lock on his emergency lifeboat gave way. Just a day later, on January 9, five workers burned to death after an LPG container was engulfed in flames. Following this incident, the government imposed Section 144 and shut down the shipbreaking yard in a transparent attempt to save face. This has only added to the misery of the workers, many of whom are left without any source of income.

The increasing death toll has further incensed the Gadani laborers, long-fed up with the rapacious capitalists and corrupt politicians responsible for their plight.

Last month, representatives of the workers agreed to a deal under which families of the victims of the November 1 accident will receive Rs 2 million each, but as of January 17, no compensation has been received by any of the families. While a case has been registered against some officials of the Gadani shipbreaking yard, the workers know better than to trust the authorities.

After all, the government isn’t even sure exactly how many workers were killed on Nov 1; nor, in fact, does it care. A report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), based on interviews with witnesses, recently revealed that as many 80 workers may have lost their lives on that day. 20 percent of the workers at Gadani are foreign migrants from countries like Myanmar. The most dangerous tasks are reserved for these doubly oppressed workers. Most of them lack identification documents. It’s possible that some of these workers are still missing. The report by the HRCP also found that the accident was due to negligence and could have been prevented.

On January 16, the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) presented the draft of a new shipbreaking code aimed at alleviating the plight of the Gadani workers. The draft includes the oft-repeated demands of the workers for the issuance of special identity cards which would enable them to acquire pensions and social security, in accordance with the law. The workers are also calling on local authorities to follow through on their pledge to enact new health and safety measures, including the provision of helmets, gloves, shoes and safety goggles.

Shipbreaking is a lucrative industry, in which the poverty-stricken countries of South Asia play a key role. The Gadani shipbreaking yard is located in southern part of Balochistan, by far Pakistan’s poorest and least developed province. The actual land is owned by the provincial government, which leases it out to the shipbreaking industry. The massive yard is a dangerous place to work, even according to Pakistani standards.

“Hazardous substances and wastes, as well as physical, mechanical, biological, ergonomic and psychological hazards” are only some of the dangers faced by workers, noted the International Law and Policy Institute in its May 2016 report, titled “Shipbreaking Practices in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.”

The industry is also responsible for polluting the environment, according to the ShipBreaking Platform, an NGO.

“The end-of-life vessels are run up on the tidal shores of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, where they are dismantled mainly manually by a migrant work force. The beaching method is at the source of severe coastal pollution and dangerous working conditions. Moreover, shipbreaking takes place in a blatant violation of international hazardous waste management laws. These laws set out strict requirements for the transboundary movement and remediation of toxics,” notes the NGO on its website. The vessels are dumped by corporations based in the core countries.

The Gadani workers are far from alone in their struggle. Workplace safety is a pertinent issue facing millions workers across Pakistan. Workers employed in the country’s critical textile industry are poisoned by toxic chemicals. Those working in the steel, iron and cement industries are forced to contend with various substances that take a toll on their minds and bodies. There are only a few hundred labour inspectors in the entire country.

The provincial government of Balochistan, like the federal government, is controlled by the Nawaz Sharif-led Pakistan Muslim League (N). The opposition parties have taken turns posturing as defenders of workers rights, but they aren’t fooling anybody.

The only allies the Gadani workers have are their fellow toilers across the country. The workers should rely on their own independent initiative to advance their interests. New organizations of struggle are needed and should be led by the most trusted and militant workers. By reaching out to other sections of workers and building solidarity, they can lay the foundation for a powerful social movement and score a victory for the laboring class.

Ali Mohsin is a freelance writer based in New York. He can be reached at alimohsin1917@gmail.com  

Source: counter currents. 18 January 2017