The Bangladeshi ship recycling industry is
one of the world’s most important, second only to neighboring India in terms of
volume, with an annual gross tonnage capacity of more than 8.8 million.
Bangladesh is actively implementing
eco-friendly improvements to its ship recycling industry. So far, the
government has sought international partnerships, technical and financial
support to help and make the country’s ship recycling facilities greener and
more sustainable. This was noted with appreciation by IMO Secretary General
Kitack Lim on a recent visit to Bangladesh.
To aid in the management of the industry, the
government published a set of rules on December 12, 2011. Chapter VIII states
that if a yard owner is found to be negligent, they will be fined and will have
to pay compensation for the death or serious injury of workers.
Additionally, the government, the IMO and the
Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (BRS) have jointly
implemented the first phase of the Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship
Recycling in Bangladesh – Phase I (SENSREC) project.
Followed by site visits to ship recycling
yards, stakeholders highlighted the successful completion of the five work
packages under the SENSREC project. Speaking at a Dhaka meeting in February
this year, Her Excellency Ms. Sidsel Bleken, Ambassador of Norway to
Bangladesh, highlighted the significant progress made. “The SENSREC Project has
achieved significant progress in terms of developing health, safety and
environmental standards and appropriate training programs that should stimulate
a sustainable ship recycling business in Bangladesh. Now, it is important to
apply these measures, particularly the workers’ training program,” she said.
Bangladesh has also proposed a draft law for
complying with the Hong Kong Convention. In July 2017, the cabinet has given
its final approval to "The Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act, 2017." The
law has provisions for tougher punishments. The proposed draft of Act is
expected to be passed by the Parliament this year.
Under the section 4 of the proposed Act, a
separate zone will be established in Chittagong for the ship recycling
industry, and owners would have to set up yards and conduct their activities
within the zone. The industries will also have to abide by international laws
and the Hong Kong Convention. A regulatory authority will monitor the industry,
and if anyone imports, stocks or break ships without “No Objection Certificate”
permission, they will be fined or imprisoned for a year or both.
In August 2017, a delegation from the IMO
visited the PHP Ship-breaking and Recycling Yard at Sitakunda Upazila in
Chittagong. There Kitack Lim voiced his satisfaction on the development of the
sector and said that the ship recycling industry of Bangladesh has moved ahead
remarkably over the last decade.
Organizations in Bangladesh continue to be
enthusiastic about adopting eco-friendly ship recycling methods with the help
of the IMO and other technical bodies with the aim of boosting worker welfare
and reducing the risk of environment pollution. Their success will bring a new
dimension to the industry.
Source: maritime-executive
.16 November 2017
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