GUIDELINES
INGENIEUR
Ship Breaking and the Hong Kong International Convention on the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships
By Lim Tau Wee
Ship breaking is a process of demolition
for resource recovery especially of metal parts for recycling . Most Malaysian ships are sent to ship breaking yards in India , Pakistan and Bangladesh which dominate the global ship breaking industry . The ship breaking industry may not attract Malaysian entrepreneurs at the moment due to the lower labour costs of the global players mentioned above .
However , with the international call for greener requirements for ship breaking and new technologies , it is an industry worth exploring . It should be considered an expanding industry providing significant economic returns and employment prospects . Engineering fraternities would play key roles in the whole process of operation and ensuring compliance with global conventions and practices .
As such , an understanding of the International Maritime Organisation ’ s ( IMO ’ s ) guidelines which are embodied in the “ Hong Kong International Convention on the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in May 2009 ”, becomes vital before embarking on this industry .
In 2004 , the 289 th session of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation ( ILO ) adopted a set of guidelines entitled “ Safety and Health in Ship Breaking : Guidelines for Asian Countries and Turkey ”. These guidelines were designed to assist ship breakers and competent authorities in implementing the relevant provisions of ILO standards , codes of practice and other guidelines on occupational safety and health and working conditions .
IMO Guidelines
The IMO guidelines were developed to provide guidance to flag , port and recycling States , shipowners , shipbuilders , marine equipment suppliers and recycling facilities on “ best practices ”, taking into account the full life cycle of a ship .
At the Diplomatic Conference which adopted the Hong Kong International Convention on the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in May 2009 , Resolution 4 was adopted , mandating the Marine Environment Protection Committee of the IMO to develop the following sets of guidelines to support the implementation and enforcement of the Hong Kong Convention .
Technical Guidelines
The Technical Guidelines for the Environmentally Sound Management of the Full and Partial Dismantling of Ships have been prepared with the intention of providing guidance to countries which have , or wish to establish , facilities for ship
66 VOL 83 JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020