In an op-ed in Dagens
Næringsliv, the largest daily business paper in Norway, Norwegian Shipowners
Association and their CEO Sturla Henriksen say a definite NO to shipbreaking on
beaches. -This is a major victory for Bellona and all other NGOs fighting
against dangerous dismantling of ships, Bellona advisor Sigurd Enge said.
– The turnaround by the Norwegian
Shipowners shows us that they now agree with the principle advocated by NGOs
for years. Hazardous “beaching” should
not take place in 2015. It is a dinosaur way of doing things, knowing that
there are modern and safe solutions,
Enge said.
Bellona advisor Sigurd Enge is clear
that it is a brave decision that the
Norwegian shipowners make today.
Norway becomes the first country in
the world to discourage shipowners to scrap ships on beaches.
-This news will make headlines
globally , the Bellona advisor said.
-On behalf of the NGO Shipbreaking
Platform I am happy to announce that the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association now
is on our team. This is a breakthrough in the international efforts to end the
“beaching”. Bellona will definitely say “Look to Norway” when it comes to
taking a stand against this old fashioned way of dismantling ships , Enge said.
-This decision gives us more energy,
and other countries should copy the Norwegians, the Bellona advisor said.
Bellona is particularly pleased that
the NSA now wants to take an ambitious and serious corporate social
responsibility. Bellona now expects that this decision will strengthen the
growing market for serious shipbreaking.
10 year long struggle crowned with
victory
Bellona has since 2005 been working
against hazardous shipbreaking on the beaches of India, Pakistan and
Bangladesh.
The environmental foundation has
repeatedly pressured governments and shipowners to stop the practice. In total,
around 150 ships controlled by Norwegian shipowners have been scrapped on
beaches since 2009 and until today.
-This has been 150 ships too many.
This practice has been a dark chapter in Norwegian maritime traditions, and I
am very happy that it seems to have come to an end today, Enge said.
In recent years, we have seen that the
number of Norwegian ships on beaches is decreasing. In 2014, for the first
time, no Norwegian ships were scrapped on beaches in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Only seven Norwegian controlled vessels were scrapped on Indian beaches in
2014.
-This shows that good advocacy is
actually helping, Sigurd Enge said.
Far from the end – the international
struggle continues
Bellona and strong international
partners in the NGO Shipbreaking Platform will continue to monitor the
situation on the beaches of Southeast Asia.
-There is a huge international
struggle to continue this practice, Enge said. He refers specifically to the
disclosure earlier in August, where two John Fredriksen-controlled ships from
Golden Ocean ended up on beaches in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform is a
collection of 19 international environmental and human rights organizations. In
its latest quarterly report for Q2 2014, the platform reports at least six
casualties.
The fresh quarterly report shows that
European shipping companies continue to send their ships for scrapping in Asia.
In the second quarter, a total of 52 ships ended up on beaches in India, 42 in
Bangladesh and 37 in Pakistan.
-We expect that Norwegian shipowners
now will follow the strong advice made by the Sturla Henriksen and the
Norwegian Shipowners Association, Enge said.
-I guarantee that Bellona will
continue to name and shame Norwegian shipowners who now choose to close their
eyes and ears, and literally stick their heads in the sand, Enge concluded.
Press contact: Head of Communications,
Magnus Borgen, +47 97728476/ magnus@bellona.no
Bellona
Source: Bellona.
17 August 2015
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