Beijing: The International Chamber of Shipping
(ICS) has criticised China’s ship scrapping/newbuilding policy, saying it could
delay the global recovery of shipping markets and release unnecessary carbon
dioxide (CO2) emissions.
China’s incentives to artificially boost
shipbuilding through increased scrapping in the country could have a negative
impact on the speed with which the global supply/demand balance in shipping is
restored, the ICS said today.
The ICS voiced its concerns at a meeting of the
OECD Working Party on Shipbuilding, held in Paris today.
Recycling ships earlier than usual and building new
vessels could also create more CO2 emissions than could be saved through
replacing old vessels with newer, more efficient ones, the ICS said.
China is currently offering subsidies of about $250
per gross tonne for Chinese shipping companies that scrap vessels early and
then place orders at Chinese shipyards for at least the same tonnage.
The ICS reminded OECD governments that ships are
built with an expected life-span of around 25 years for reasons of safety and
economy. In some cases, vessels are currently being recycled at just 15 years
old.
Ordering so-called ‘eco-ships’ is not always in the
best interests of the owner, their customers or the environment, the ICS told
the meeting.
Source: sino ship news. 25 December 2014
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