May 16, 2023
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Based on data recently released by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, almost 443 ocean-going commercial vessels and offshore units were sold for scrapping in 2022.
Of these, 292 large tankers, floating platforms, bulkers, and passenger and cargo vessels ended up for dangerous and dirty breaking on the tidal beaches in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India.
While South Asian ship-breaking yards encountered the most negligible turnover in more than a decade, with a significant drop in the number of vessels scrapped, they remained the preferred destination for end-of-life vessels, dismantling almost 80% of the worldwide end-of-life gross tonnage.
The reason for the rise in the number of ships scrapped last year is aplenty, with higher ocean freight rates, which made it more profitable to keep operating older vessels, and shortages in banks to offer credits to firms for buying end-of-life assets recognized as the key drivers.
In 2022, more than ten workers lost lives, and 33 suffered injuries as they broke apart the Chattogram beach vessels. Local sources reported three losses of lives in India’s Alang and three severe injuries in Pakistan’s Gadani.
The 2022 worst country dumper happens to be China. Chinese owners have reportedly sold 28 vessels for scrapping in South Asia. And most of these were beached in Bangladesh.
Singapore, the UAE, Russia, and Greece follow suit with more than a dozen vessels beached each.
In 2022, 49 vessels were dismantled in Turkey’s Aliağa, a site where six EU-approved vessel recycling yards are based.
Civil society organizations have been raising their concerns regarding ship recycling operations in the region and mobilized over the summer to end the import of SÃO PAULO, the toxic-laden aircraft carrier.
They flag significant breaches of national laws specific to environmental permits, occupational health, pollution, safety, and waste management.
Besides, two facilities, Işıksan and Şimşekler, were removed from the EU List in 2022 owing to failure to comply with the requirements set in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation.
Some recent audit reports of two yards disclosed several serious problems.
References: Shipbreaking Platform, Safety4Sea
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