- According to new data released today by the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, 630 ocean-going commercial ships and offshore units were sold to the scrap yards in 2020.
- Of these vessels, 446 large tankers, bulkers, floating platforms, cargo- and passenger ships were broken down on three beaches in South Asia.
- It amounts to nearly 90% of the gross tonnage dismantled globally.
A recent news article published in the Ship Breaking Platform reveals that data concerning number of ships that are sent for ship breaking.
Are ships safe to dismantle and break?
Ships are considered hazardous waste under international environmental law.
They contain many toxic materials and substances within their structures, and onboard as residues.
These toxics include, amongst others, cadmium, lead batteries, asbestos, mercury, ozone depleting substances, PAHs, and residue oils.
All these need to be managed in a safe and environmentally sound manner.
Their export from developed to developing countries is banned by UNEP’s Basel Convention.
Where are these vessels scrapped?
On the beaches of
- Alang in India,
- Chattogram in Bangladesh, and
- Gadani in Pakistan,
These are places where nearly 90% of the global world tonnage was scrapped last year, the negative consequences of shipbreaking are real and felt by many.
Workers get exploited
Workers – often exploited migrants, some of them children – are exposed to immense risks.
They are killed or seriously injured by fires and falling steel plates, and sickened by exposure to toxic fumes and substances.
Coastal biomes, and the local communities depending on them, are devastated by toxic spills and air pollution due to the lack of infrastructure to contain, properly manage and dispose of the many hazardous materials embedded in the ships.
Dumpers of 2020
- Greece tops the list of country dumper in 2020. Greek owners sold 48 ships for scrapping in South Asia, most of which were beached in Bangladesh and Pakistan.
- The ‘worst corporate dumper’ prize goes to South Korean company.
- Brazilian owned company comes third for worst corporate practice.
A ray of hope
Clean and safe solutions are already available. Less than a million Light Displacement Tonnes (LDT) were recorded recycled in EU-approved facilities in 2020, which represent a minor fraction of what these yards are able to handle.
For the data visualization of 2020 shipbreaking records, click here.
For the full Excel dataset of all ships dismantled worldwide in 2020, click here.
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Source: Ship Breaking Platform
