Ship recycling choice shouldn't be based just on geography: Danish Shipowners AssocShip recycling choice shouldn't be based just on geography: Danish Shipowners Assoc

With the Norwegian Shipowners Association (NSA) coming out last week to be the first to reject beaching as a method of scrapping ships, the debate has intensified.

The DSA noted in a statement that 60% of the world’s vessels are dismantled on the beaches of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and that these areas in particular have been notorious for poor safety and environment conditions.

However, the DSA believes that each yard should be judged individually based on the standards it employs rather than a blanket ban on all yards using the beaching method in South Asia.

DSA Director Maria Bruun Skipper, who visited the yards in Alang in the Spring of this year commented: “A couple of the yards we visited have invested in technology and established safety procedures to ensure that ships are recycled safely and that the environment is protected against leakage of harmful substances. 

“It is up to the classification societies to certify that the standards are met, but in my view it would be extremely counterproductive if the yards, which have made important investments, are excluded based on geography and the concept of ‘beaching’ as a method.”

The DSA said that ratification and compliance with the compliance with the IMO Hong Kong Convention on the recycling of ships, which is yet to come into force.