Asian shipbreakers against recycling convention

Ship breakers from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh are planning to form one common front to decide the course of action against the new International Maritime Organisation (IMO)-mandated ship recycling Convention, which the governments of the three countries are planning to ratify. Iron Steel Scrap and the Ship-breakers Association of India had recently submitted a memorandum to MoS stressing that India should not ratify the IMO Convention on ship recycling as it is against the interests of the country. As per the Association, India had nothing to gain except international interference. Further, whatever regulations were needed for environmentally sound practices and the health of the workforce in ship recycling in the country, could be implemented through national regulation such as the Amendment to Gujarat Maritime Board Regulations 2003 and the Comprehensive Code on Ship Recycling being finalised by the steel ministry under the directions of the Supreme Court. The guidelines being prepared by the IMO Convention propose to go much deeper, which will make shipbreaking by the beaching method impossible.

(Source: Maritime Gateway)