In-depth | Ship reCYCling
Breaking up is hard to do
Designing commercial vessels is no longer simply about how they will work.
Naval architects now need to consider how the vessel will end its life also by
supplying details of hazardous materials used in the vessel’s construction.
Sandra Tsui looks at how China is approaching the new rules.
C
hinese ship recyclers deem the
cooperation between shipbuilders,
operators and ship breaking yards a
prerequisite to achieve the goal of the Hong
Kong Convention on Ship Recycling - to ensure
ship breaking does not pose an unnecessary
risk to human health and the environment.
“We are not demolishing something that
comes from nowhere, the shipyards built
them, and hence we have to break them when
they are dumped. It is important to know
what they have used to build those ships and
it would make the whole thing easier,” said
Xie Dehua, Executive Director and Secretary-
General of the China National Ship recycling
Association.
The Hong Kong Convention (full name:
Hong Kong International Convention for the Ship breaking at the Jianmen Yinhu Shipbreaking Company in Southern China.
Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling
of Ships) was signed in May 2009 and was
available for ratification from September as green ship recyclers through the promotion Ministry of Environmental Protection and
last year. However, Mr Xie stressed the of replacing beaching with dry dock or pier the State Oceanic Administration that take
convention does not only contain guidelines dismantling; as well as the increasing usage of care of pollutions in land and the near sea;
to ship recyclers, but also covers the design, machinery instead of a human workforce. A the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry
construction, operation and repair of vessels. “Green Ship Recycling General Regulation” of Agriculture that oversee the registration of
Under the convention, ships will be required was issued by the Chinese government in merchant ships and fishing vessels as well as
to have an initial survey to verify the inventory 2005 listing 12 criteria for ship breaking yards the Ministry of Transport and the Maritime
of hazardous materials, additional surveys to follow (see panel on page x??). Safety Administration.
during the life of the ship, and a final survey Changjiang Ship-Recycling Yard, one of the One of the major hurdles, said Mr Xie,
prior to recycling. Vessels sent for recycling largest ship breaking facilities in China, located would be to set up an effective regulatory
must carry an inventory of hazardous at the New Port Area of Jiangyin City, Jiangsu model and procedures to carry out the
materials. Ship recycling yards have to provide Province, has already fulfilled all requirements convention requirements. Issues such as
a “Ship Recycling Plan”, to specify the manner of the Hong Kong Convention, according to which institute or department should take
in which each ship will be recycled, depending Mr Xie. charge of the whole event and how those
on its particulars and its inventory. Parties to Mr Xie anticipated that it will not take too checking and approval procedures can be
the convention will be required to ensure that long a period of time for China to ratify the soundly carried out at the factory level will
ship recycling facilities under their jurisdiction Hong Kong Convention as the nation has have to be sorted out before ratification.
comply with the convention. taken the issue seriously. A high level meeting The country’s administrators have
“These arrangements will certainly enhance was held in July 2009 where senior officials proposed a pilot project to the IMO to
the communications between shipbuilders from various ministries and representatives be carried out in selected ship breaking
and ship recyclers,” said Mr Xie, adding that from the International Maritime Organization facilities across the nation where the
the Hong Kong Convention posed both discussed the necessary preparations before efficacy and efficiency of such procedures
challenges and opportunities to ship breaking the country could ratify the treaty. would be tested. Up to three ship breaking
yards in China. But, he expects the convention The decision making process of when yards will be singled out based on how
will be advantageous to the Chinese recyclers. to ratify will be nothing short of complex, representative they are on geographical
In the past two decades, Chinese ship explained Mr Xie, as it involves many and technical grounds. The administrators
breakers have strived to re-position themselves departments of the government, such as the intend to involve both plants that adopt
30 The Naval Architect January 2010
NA Jan 10 - p30+31.indd 30 12/01/2010 09:56:38
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