GMS weekly report on Pakistan ship breaking industry for WEEK 06 of 2014:

Pakistan buyers looked on frustratedly for another week as Indian and Bangladeshi offers simply blew them out of the water on any competitive tonnage working (either cash buyer or private market tonnage).

The steady supply of panamax containers is not piquing the interest of Gadani buyers whose reluctance to buy such units rests on draft issues and the difficulties in beaching as a result.

However, as long as prices remain USD 15 per LT to USD 20/LT LDT behind their chief competitors there is little end buyers can do to get their hands on vessels, gas free for man entry tankers or not, amidst a growing demand for new vessels locally.

Source: steel guru. 11 February 2014

http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/GMS_weekly_report_on_Pakistan_ship_breaking_industry_for_WEEK_06/332500.html

GMS weekly report on China ship breaking industry for WEEK 06 of 2014:

The ongoing Chinese New Year holidays saw minimal activity emanate from China this week. Even though, banks were officially working on Tuesday, most people remained on holiday, in their hometowns for the majority of the week.

In the grand scheme of things, the Chinese absence from the international ship recycling markets has made little difference to the ongoing sub-continent dominance and things are expected to remain the same, post-holidays as well.

However, it will be interesting to see where the Chinese market opens up as there is clearly demand for vessels and if the ongoing supply of state controlled Chinese flagged tonnage subsides, Chinese prices will have to pick up in order to compete and secure their share again.

Source: steel guru. 11 February 2014

http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/GMS_weekly_report_on_China_ship_breaking_industry_for_WEEK_06/332502.html

GMS weekly report on Turkey ship breaking industry for WEEK 06 of 2014:

Another week went by highlighting the relatively weakened state of the Turkish Lira. Having hit its weakest point at the end of Jan (over the last 13 months), the fluctuation range was between TRL 2.196 and 2.285 against the US Dollar with the Lira closing on Friday at TRL 2.22, slightly stronger than where it had opened last Monday.

Still, it remains in a comparatively weakened state, lingering at the lowest levels seen over the last year. Meanwhile, the local market sentiment remained on the negative end of the spectrum as indicate prices for potential tonnage came off by region USD 5/Ton and talks of the market further weakening in the upcoming days, perhaps by another USD 5 per tonne to USD 10 per tonne.

In addition to the jumping Lira, another reason for the fall in prices is being attributed to the comparatively cheaper scrap steel being imported from the Black Sea area that is placing an increased pressure on prices for ships.

Source: steel guru. 11 February 2014

http://www.steelguru.com/international_news/GMS_weekly_report_on_Turkey_ship_breaking_industry_for_WEEK_06/332505.html

Heritage Ship 'Naomh Eanna' Set For Scrapping:

#NaomhEanna - A vessel considered the 'last Irish heritage ship' is set to be cut up this week as a campaign mounts to save her from the scrapheap.

The Naomh Eanna was built in 1956 in Dublin's Docklands and previously served as a passenger ferry in Galway Bay between the mainland and the Aran Islands.

Said to be "one of the last riveted ships built in the world", she has spent the last 28 years in a state of neglect at Grand Canal Dock and is reported to be taking on water, though it's believed she retains many of her original fittings and machine parts.

Last week it emerged that ownership of the Naomh Eanna has transferred to Waterways Ireland, who intend to tow her into the Grand Canal graving dock this week to begin disposal.

But according to Sam Field Corbett of marine heritage restoration business Irish Ship & Barge Fabrication, "no consideration was given to salvage and restore her".

Corbett says he is confident that a business plan can be prepared to attract investment for the Naomh Eanna's restoration - but fears that the scrapping plans may proceed with haste before any alternative resolution is considered.

In order for campaigners to save her, some €100,000 costs to Waterways Ireland would need to be met, on top of insuring the vessel and getting permission from NAMA to hold her in dry dock until repairs could begin.

Source: afloat. 10 February 2014

http://afloat.ie/home/item/24399-heritage-ship-naomh-eanna-set-for-scrapping

NGO Shipbreaking Platform asked Hamburg Senate about shipbreaking practices:

Hamburg -- NGO Shipbreaking Platform and German Left Party in the Hamburg State Parliament have asked parliamentary questions about the shipbreaking practices of Hapag-Lloyd and other Hamburg-based ship owners to the Hamburg Government, known as the Senate. The Hamburg Government has refused to answer questions concerning partly state-owned Hapag-Lloyd, arguing that the supervisory board was responsible for controlling the company. Moreover, the Hamburg Government argued that it had no information about substandard shipbreaking practices for Hapag-Lloyd ships.

“The Hamburg Government stresses in its answer that the German commercial fleet was amongst the youngest and most modern fleets in the world. However, the Hamburg Government is wrong in saying that ship recycling was therefore of no concern for German ship owners. At least 68 German end-of-life vessels were sent to beaches for breaking in 2013, making it the second worst country in Europe after Greece. Usually, the sale is coordinated by a middleman who sometimes guarantees the ship owner that he will further operate the ship. In fact, the ship goes almost directly for breaking in South Asia. It would be naïve to believe that ship owners are not aware of what is going on”, explains Patrizia Heidegger, Executive Director of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform.

“The City of Hamburg is very well able to influence the social and environmental standards of state or partly state-owned companies and to make sure that they set good examples. The City of Hamburg should immediately meet with Hapag-Lloyd and work on a sustainable solution for ship recycling”, says Norbert Hackbusch, the Left Party’s expert for port policy in the Hamburg Parliament.

“The new EU regulation on ship recycling, which has just entered into force, is toothless in one decisive aspect. By simply flagging out, ship owners can circumvent the regulation. Already today, close to three quarters of all European end-of-life vessels going to South Asia do not fly the flag of an EU Member State but a flag of convenience, such as Tuvalu, Comoros or Saint Kitts and Nevis. This is why we urgently need a financial mechanism, such as an economic incentive for clean and safe recycling. Different models are possible, for example a financial guarantee for ship owners, which will only be reimbursed if their ship is recycled in a clean and safe way. The European Commission is currently working on a list of compliant ship recycling facilities that must apply the highest environmental and social standards”, added Member of the European Parliament Sabine Wils.

Source: recycling portal.

http://www.recyclingportal.eu/artikel/32184.shtml