Wirana Shipping Corp. buyers of ships for recycling expresses disappointment on Norwegian Shipowners’ decision to ban beaching:

Wirana Shipping Corporation, based in Singapore, are the oldest cash buyers of ships for recycling in the world. They sell the ships for recycling to India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Turkey and China.

The company released a statement in response to the statements of Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA) and Danish Shipowners Association (DSA).

“The recent statement from Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA) regarding a ban on beaching was quite disappointing on the face of it. We honestly, were quite surprised to read it as there are some Norwegian ship owners who are taking their vessels to the sub-continent for recycling, albeit only to the “green” yards. We really hope that we have understood it out of context and that there is another angle to it. We find it difficult to reconcile to the fact that Norway has ratified the Hong Kong Convention of IMO which does not ban beaching as far as the recycling practices and procedures are environmentally friendly, and yet this statement that NSA bans beaching. We hope that the recycling community will hear something positive from the NSA that reconciles the above paradox.

On the other hand, we welcome and applaud the statement by Ms Maria Bruun Skipper from the Danish Shipowners Association (DSA), that instead of banning any particular method merely on the basis of geography or the method of recycling, owners should look at individual yard standards. It would not be prudent to put a blanket ban on beaching without considering the commendable improvements made at some of the yards which are putting in time, money and efforts that are recognised and approved by a world class, reputable and proactive classification society. In our opinion, the conviction in the DSA’s statement is a direct result of their going down to Alang and seeing the situation first hand. We encourage NSA members too to visit Alang and look at the facilities in the good yards, especially those under the Class NK programme and they will be able to see the substantial improvements that have been made”.

Source: Hellenic shipping news. 27 August 2015

http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/wirana-shipping-corp-buyers-of-ships-for-recycling-expresses-dissapointment-on-norwegian-shipowners-decision-to-ban-beaching/