BIMCO has launched a survey to find out the real
picture on the methods ship owners and operators are using for the treatment of
biofouling, and the performance of the various methods on different ships and
over varying time periods.
A press statement issued by BIMCO quoted Aron
Sørensen, Chief Marine Technical Officer as saying:"We believe there is a
lack of collective knowledge on biofouling management and treatment practices
in the shipping industry.
"BIMCO would like to build a clearer picture of
practice and performance for biofouling management, and how current antifouling
technologies are performing on various ship types.
"We will use and share the outcome to work on
the industry's behalf to highlight any issues of concern. Once analysed, the
survey result could form the basis for a BIMCO submission to the International
Maritime Organization."
BIMCO is a shipping association providing a wide
range of services to its global membership of stakeholders who have vested
interests in the shipping industry, including shipowners, operators, managers,
brokers and agents.
65% of the world's commercial fleet belong to BIMCO
members
The association's main objective is to facilitate the
commercial operations of its membership by means of developing standard contracts
and clauses, and providing quality information, advice, and education.
BIMCO promotes fair business practices, free trade
and open access to markets and is a strong advocate for the harmonisation and
standardisation of all shipping related activity.
Accredited as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO)
with all relevant United Nations agencies and other regulatory entities, BIMCO
actively promotes the application of international agreed regulatory
instruments.
It could be recalled that the ship breaking and
recycling industry in Gujarat, Indian is rejoicing following the Centre's
decision to reduce the import duty on ships imported for breaking from 5% to
2.5% in the recently announced Union Budget for 2014 to 2015. The industry
expects rise in number of ships imported to India for recycling.
Quoting industry sources, Business Standard explained
that high import duty and a weak rupee against dollar had diverted business to
neighbouring countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh in the last two years.
However, ship breakers now believe that the reduction
in customs duty will bring business back to India.
Vice President of Ship Recycling Industries
Association of India, Ramesh Mendapara said:"We had been demanding
reduction in import duty for quite a long time.
"Finally, the government has heard our voices
and reduced the duty. This will surely make our industry strong and help us
compete with other countries, said Mendapara, adding that "We wanted
balanced duty on both scrap and ship import. Due to high import duty, selling
of domestic scrap had decreased and direct import of scrap has gone up and
consequently, ship import had declined in the last two years."
An industry source at Sosiya Alang ship recycling
yard in Bhavnagar said that "Depreciation of rupee against US dollar had a
negative impact on ship breaking industry. The rupee is stable now and the
government's decision will boost import of ships for recycling."
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the
Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh recently signed an agreement
to work together to improve safety and environmental standards in the country's
ship-recycling industry.
A Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the
cooperation between the two was signed by Nicolaos Charalambous, Director,
Technical Cooperation Division, IMO and Ashadul Islam, Additional Secretary,
Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance of the Government of
Bangladesh.
IMO and Bangladesh are expected to jointly implement
a project entitled "Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling in
Bangladesh - Phase I".
With an annual gross tonnage capacity of more than
8.8 million, the Bangladesh ship recycling industry is one of the world's most
important, second only to neighbouring India in terms of volume.
The project which also aimed at improving standards
and sustainability within the industry will consist of five work packages,
covering studies on economic and environmental impacts coupled with the
management of hazardous materials and wastes, recommendations on strengthening
the Government's One-Stop Service.
Source: all Africa.
10 SEPTEMBER 2014
http://allafrica.com/stories/201409100929.html
