Ship Recycling Research Articles

A study on factors affecting workers’ safety during ship recycling

More and more ships are coming to the economic end of life nowadays, it is a sustainable way to send end-of-life ships for recycling considering the material circulation by the ship owners. Due to the hazardous materials and dangerous working process, it is important for the ship recycling companies to ensure the workers' safety. Herein, the objective of this study is to find out the factors affecting personal safety during ship recycling activities, and to evaluate their interrelationships. By exploring the main steps, hazardous materials and potential risks during ship recycling, customized factors affecting workers’ safety were proposed. A questionnaire survey about the proposed factors was designed and conducted by scholars, managers and workers in ship recycling industry. Meanwhile, a theoretical model with hypotheses was developed and evaluated based on structural equation modeling by using the survey data. The findings showed that all the proposed factors, i.e., disposal of hazardous materials, dismantling operation safety, dismantling operation management, dismantling operation equipment, and safety awareness, directly or indirectly affect personal safety during ship dismantling, especially the dismantling operation management factor. The implications and limitations of this study were also discussed, which could be beneficial to ship recycling companies and policy makers.

Factors influencing green ship recycling: A conceptual framework and modeling

It is an environmentally friendly and economical way to send end-of-life ships for dismantling and recycling by the shipowners. More and more countries expressed concerns on the pollutants caused during ship dismantling and proposed green ship recycling concept. This study aims to propose the factors influencing green ship recycling and evaluate their interrelationships and effects on green ship recycling. By investigating the procedures and pollutants during ship dismantling, customized factors influencing green ship recycling were proposed. Questionnaire survey was designed and conducted by scholars, managers and workers in ship recycling field. The data were analyzed based on structure equation modeling with a proposed theoretical model. Overall, organization and management factor has the largest total effect on green ship recycling, followed by environmental protection facilities and plans factor and ship recycling technology and equipment factor. The environmental protection facilities and plans factor and ecological index factor are the direct contributors of green ship recycling. The theoretical implication of this study is discussed, as well as the managerial implication which could be beneficial to ship recycling companies and policy makers.

Estimation of the volume of metal waste generated during ship recycling

In the case of a long-term stagnation of the ship, before being transferred for disposal, its structures are exposed to the environment and, as a result, are destroyed. Ultimately, this leads to the fact that part of the metal becomes unsuitable for further use, even as a secondary raw material, and will be sent to waste, which must be buried in a certain way, leading the treatment in accordance with current standards. The presence of waste will reduce the mass of metal that is sent for processing, and, consequently, brings profit to the ship recycling yards. The article considers an approach that allows us to estimate the volume of waste and the reduction in the mass of "useful" metal, both in general terms and numerically for a specific ship project. Equations are obtained that allow determining the mass of spent metal, both in operation and in long-term stagnation of the ship.

A Gap Analysis of Ship-Recycling Practices in Indonesia

Ship recycling is gaining attention in Indonesia due to the increase in end-of-life ships and uneconomical nationally flagged ships, and is considered a prospective source of economic development and employment opportunity, and yet conceivably poses a threat to the health and safety of workers and the environment. There are international and national regulations that govern ship-recycling activities to ensure that the hazardous impacts of the industry are minimized. We investigated the disparity between current ship-breaking practices in Indonesia and the requirements of related international and national regulations, with the findings intended for use as a stepping stone to proposing a strategy to establish a green and sustainable ship-recycling industry. A benchmark study of the world’s leading ship-recycling countries was conducted, and a gap analysis was performed by comparing existing international and national regulations with current ship-breaking practices in Indonesia. We identified two types of ship-breaking practices in Indonesia: Conventional environmentally unfriendly ship-breaking method, conducted by most Indonesian ship-breaking yards, and a rather modern, more environmentally friendly method, conducted by ship-repair yards. However, neither of the practices met the requirements of the regulations, and improvements are therefore needed to make the ship-recycling industry more green and sustainable, and to gain international recognition.

THE INVENTORYING OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, RESPONSIBLE RECYCLING PRACTICE & REDUCING HAZARDOUS MATERIALS, DURING A SHIP’S LIFECYCLE

Hazardous Materials that may exist onboard ships (as part of their fixed structure or machinery), are listed within the Hong Kong Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships 2009 and associated circulars, also within the Annexes of Regulation (EU) 1257/2013 of the European Parliament-Council on ship recycling. Also listed are threshold values i.e., the concentration in homogeneous materials that make a material hazardous. The regulations require that (a) such materials are identified and inventoried (b) kept track of during the lifetime of the ship, (c) asbestos found onboard ships built after 2002 be removed within a stipulated period and (d) when a ship is recycled, the recycling process is done in a safe and environmentally considerate manner, all hazardous materials are taken off systematically and disposed so as to not endanger living organisms or cause environmental pollution. In this paper we will discuss the above processes.

A fuzzy best–worst method (BWM) to assess the potential environmental impacts of the process of ship recycling

ABSTRACT The marine environment has been under threat due to the residues and pollution created during the ship recycling process. Materials contained in ship structure or equipment are the main concern that causes pollution of soil, air, marine, and freshwater resources at the ship recycling process. Accordingly, chemical and biological contaminants that may be released to the environment are the main elements of the ship recycling process. The emphasis of this research is therefore on the assessment of materials found in the ship structure or equipment of hazardous materials. To do so, this paper has applied the best–worth method (BWM) using fuzzy sets. The sets are based on surveys and questionnaires answered by industry experts. The findings of the research show that H4 (heavy metal residues) (H6) (polychlorinated organic compounds (PCBs), tin compound tributyltin (TBT), and asbestos (H3) are the most hazardous materials. Therefore, the study results also have the potential to assist professionals, policymakers, and regulatory authorities in the successful handling of hazardous materials that may release into the environment during the recycling process of ships. Consequently, the research provides a robust analytical model to assess the actual hazardous materials for the prevention and control of environmental pollution.

The European Ship Recycling Regulation and its market implications: Ship-recycling capacity and market potential

Dismantling end-of-life ships in substandard conditions has detrimental effects on the environment, labour rights and occupational health. To steer the industry's transition towards adopting more sustainable practices, the European Union has introduced the European Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR), which includes a list of certified shipyards (the European List, EL) that are allowed to recycle EU-flagged fleet.The functionality of the SRR, and especially the adequacy of the recycling capacity included in the European List, has raised doubts among the academic community and practitioners. To increase understanding, this article reviews the recycling demand posed by existing EU-flagged fleet and compares it to the recycling capacity available in the beginning of 2020. State-of-the-art fleet statistics obtained from the Clarkson World Fleet Register are subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, regression analysis and ANOVA.The results show that the current capacity of the EL is not adequate to cover the anticipated recycling demand. This implies that substantial additional capacity located outside the EU is needed. At the current commodity price levels the estimated market potential is not likely to attract enough newcomers that meet the standard to the market. The scrapping prices may decline significantly increasing the cost of replenishment for the shipping business.The article makes a solid policy contribution in terms of evaluating the implications of the SRR and providing valuable insights for the future in a context in which policymaking is constantly evolving.

The International Maritime Organization and regime interaction: cooperation or hegemony?

Regime interaction is an expected consequence of the specialisation and expansion of international law. It occurs regularly, including during law-making processes, authoritative legal interpretations, and international organisations’ activities. This study shows that, while international organisations contribute to the coordination among international legal regimes, such coordination has limitations. The author illustrates such limitations with two examples. One relates to ship recycling and the cooperation between the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the subsidiary bodies of the Basel Convention on Transboundary Movement of Wastes (Basel Convention). The other relates to the rescue of migrants at sea and disembarkation to a place of safety and the cooperation between the IMO and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). There is an asymmetrical relationship between these organisations, and the IMO, as the more powerful organisation, has upheld its normative agenda, narrative, ideology, and power structure while cooperating with the Basel Convention’s subsidiary bodies and UNHCR. Such asymmetrical relations have a negative impact on legal cross-fertilisation, ie fragmentation and tunnel vision. On the one hand, the ship-recycling case illustrates legal fragmentation, where two parallel and distinct legal regulations, ie the Basel Convention and the International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, are potentially applicable to ships at the end of their operative lives. On the other hand, the rescue of migrants at sea exemplifies tunnel vision where this particular issue has been framed as a maritime safety matter, leaving little room for cross-fertilisation with refugee law.

Labor Rights Violation in Ship Recycling Industry: A critical review of International Labor Organization (ILO) Guidelines

Labor Rights Violation in Ship Recycling Industry: A critical review of International Labor Organization (ILO) Guidelines

JUSTIFICATION FOR THE EXPEDIENCY OF SHIP RECYCLING

The decision of a ship recycling is usually made only on the basis of economic considerations – the possibility of selling materials and equipment for reuse. But the actual damage to the environment is not estimated, as from a disposition (emissions from cutting and storage of waste which is not a subject to further use and processing) and the ship storage on the certain territory which is either a coastline or a section of backwater, and which in most cases is not designed for this. The article considers the approach allowing to estimate the environmental effect of cutting up a ship, in comparison with its storage in a conditionally unlimited time interval. An unambiguous conclusion was obtained about the effectiveness of this type of treatment of the ship as waste. The method for determining a certain conditional time for making a decision on the method and place of recycling, applicable to a ship that is in an unsuitable technical condition is proposed.

BİNA YIKIM İŞLERİNDE ASBEST MARUZİYETİNİN DEĞERLENDİRİLMESİ

Asbestos is a mineral that has a naturally formed fibrous structure and has been used in different areas for centuries with its resistance to heat and chemicals. Asbestos, which is called "Magic Mineral" in the world, has been used in the production of many products in the textile, automotive and chemical industries, shipbuilding and construction sectors. In the last century, when respiratory illnesses and cancers have been encountered in those who work with asbestos and those who breathe the air mixed with asbestos fibers, Asbestos is called "The Evil Dust", "Killer Dust" in the world, and now it has been named "Killer Dust" in our country. Uncontrolled building demolitions as a result of the start of the Ship Recycling Sector and then the urban transformation activities in our country brought the issue of asbestos to the agenda. Old buildings are demolished by assuming that no asbestos is used, and construction waste is disposed of uncontrolled. This study was carried out in order to reveal that asbestos is used in old buildings, building demolition and renovation works are a great danger for employees and residents, and to provide suggestions for safe removal and demolition of materials found to be asbestos in buildings, and it is also aimed to increase "Asbestos Exposure Awareness".

Role and potential of the circular economy in managing end-of-life ships in China

China's circular economy has made notable progress since the 21st century and shaped various industry segments. Among these, ship recycling has been particularly outstanding as it evolved exceptionally fast and assumed an internationally leading role. In this article, we present field survey findings on recycling standards and recovery capacities regarding the material flows at Chinese shipbreaking yards, which overall perform comparatively sustainable. However, recent policy and market developments have induced the sector's decline, which at present seems to threaten the very fundamentals of circular economic management for obsolete vessels in China. Given these limited prospects for traditional recycling approaches in the near future, the article proceeds to evaluate alternative circular economy management options for Chinese ship recycling facilities to manage end-of-life vessels. Based on quantifications of hidden potentials in ship supply, value and material contributions to the domestic circular economy, technical and market specific conditions for material recovery as well as other circular economy practices, we find that ship repair and refurbishment may offer the most promising alternative to recycling for Chinese shipbreaking yards.

Ship Recycling Financial Instruments: A Tax or Not a Tax?

In this article the question is reviewed whether two by the EU Commission proposed financial instruments to stimulate ‘green’ ship scrapping, (i) a Ship Recycling Fund (SRF) and (ii) a Ship Recycling License (SRL), might be qualified as a ‘tax’ under Article 192(2) TFEU. Qualification as such a “tax” would mean that the EU Commission can only introduce such a financial instrument with unanimity voting. The authors first explore the concept of ‘tax’ in the TFEU in general and in Article 192(2) TFEU in particular. Based on this analysis, the authors conclude that levies paid to an SRF might be qualified as an ‘earmarked tax’ falling within the definition of a ‘fiscal provision’ in the meaning of Article 192(2) TFEU, which means that levies to such a fund can only be introduced by unanimity voting. The SRL fee consists of two elements: (i) a fee to cover administrative expenses and (ii) a contribution to a savings account. The fee to cover administrative expenses is qualified by the authors as a retribution that should not be qualified as a fiscal provision in the meaning of Article 192(2) TFEU. The contribution to a blocked savings account can neither be qualified as a tax nor as a retribution. Therefore, the SRL fee can be introduced without unanimity voting by the EU Council.

Disruption in Circularity? Impact analysis of COVID-19 on ship recycling using Weibull tonnage estimation and scenario analysis method

The sustainability of the ship recycling industry strongly linked with the global shipping market and international commodity flows. More than 80% of the End of Life (EoL) ships are dismantled in South Asian countries, namely Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. Due to measures taken to minimize the propagation of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), an international supply chain is broken to a historic low, except for certain medical-related urgencies. Due to the disruption of global supply chains, the industry may submerge into uncertainty due to, perhaps, lack of adequate labor force to dismantle increased EoL ships and due to disturbances of vessel transportation to the recycling nations amid strong precautionary measures. Our estimate suggests that about 300 million Gross Tonnage (GT) available for demolition in the next five years and the inability to get them recycled would cost about 20 billion dollars. More importantly, South Asian recycling nations would suffer from economic losses and employment opportunities. In this study, we also apply a scenario analysis technique to understand the impact range of COVID-19 in the short term and in the long term. The disruption is viewed through a circular economy framework, identifying a critical lack of ‘global scale’ acknowledgment in the circular economy framework. This article suggests that a formalized global scale, paralleled with favorable policies, may reduce supply chain disruption and improve sustainable development in the receiving nations.

CREATION OF A CONDITION FOR THE SHIP RECYCLING EXPEDIENCY

Before ship recycling, a large number of issues, reflecting economic and technological problems, are resolved. At present, ship recycling expediency is justified by reducing the burden on the environment, since submerged (abandoned) ships are, in essence, a waste polluting the territory and water area of their location; and the owner of such an object is obliged to compensate for environmental damage in accordance with the existing calculation methods and current law. In this work, accounting for environmental damage both at the stage of ship’s storage and direct disposal at the ship recycling company is considered. The author proposes the condition of recycling expediency, which reflects the environmental friendliness of the technology used, the time effects of ship’s storage, both the ship as a whole and wastes after its cutting.

Developing Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Accordance with Ship Recycling Convention

Developing Inventory of Hazardous Materials in Accordance with Ship Recycling Convention

Mapping the supply chain of ship recycling

Ship recycling refers to the process of dismantling vessels with the purpose of extracting and recovering materials for reuse, particularly the steel. The aim of this paper is to map the supply chain of ship recycling. This exploratory and qualitative research provides a glimpse on how regulations influence the supply chain management through inter-organizational arrangements. It considers the trade-offs and combinations of financial and sustainable values that, in many ways, determine these inter-organizational arrangements. Preliminary findings show that there are conflicts of interest with the ship recycling stakeholders. Although compliance of regulations should foster better transparency in the supply chain, these regulations have not yet fully embraced social aspects, such as the fact that domestic demand and supply for steel, as well as many jobs, are dependent on this industry. On the contrary, the initiatives to regulate ship recycling might induce negative effects. This paper suggests that transaction costs analysis and the principal agency theory are two complementary theories for analyzing inter-organizational relationships in the supply chain of ship recycling.

Designing an EU Ship Recycling Licence: A Roadmap

Faced with the widespread use of dismantling sites in Asia, whose processes present alarming health and environmental issues, the European Commission has raised the question of implementing a financial mechanism to encourage shipowners to use higher standards for ship recycling. This mechanism would take the form of a recycling licence applicable to any ship wanting to call at a port within EU territory, whether flying the flag of an EU Member State or of a third country. The present paper aims to critically assess the main features of the EU's proposed mechanism from a legal and economic perspective and to examine the criticisms the mechanism has received to date. Our study shows that reform is desirable but that the nature and success of the proposed licence remain uncertain, depending on whether the mechanism is able to provide sufficient incentives. In this light, the paper makes several suggestions designed to improve the project's economic and legal viability. It also shows that such a project could speed up the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships adopted in May 2009, whose ratification process has been severely delayed.

Assessment of the future mesothelioma disease burden from past exposure to asbestos in ship recycling yards in India

The recycling of end-of-life vessels is a complex activity that generates an enormous amount of hazardous waste, including asbestos-containing materials (ACM). Efforts by the Government of India to comply with national and international regulations and improved standard operating procedures are expected to lower the exposure risk of the workforce to hazardous substances, including asbestos. The current workers are likely to face lesser risks than did those exposed in the past. The present study assesses the health risks from past exposure of asbestos for those workers engaged in handling and removing ACM in ship recycling yards before environmentally sound recycling of obsolete ships was introduced in the early 2000s. Estimates were made of the number of workers exposed, and the intensity of exposure and these data were used to estimate the likely number of mesothelioma deaths in the future. It was estimated that nearly 15% of the total workforce engaged in ship recycling will suffer from mesothelioma which translates to about 4,513 mesothelioma deaths among the total of 31,000 workers estimated to be ever employed in the yards from 1994 till 2002. Recommendations are made for a practical approach to the safe handling of ACMs in Indian ship recycling yards.

Стратегія сталого розвитку світового лідера вантажоперевезень у реаліях сучасного бізнесу

The processes of globalization of international trade involve the unhindered movement of resources and goods, which is objectively impossible to carry out without maritime transport. Currently, maritime transport provides sustainable foreign economic transport and production relations between individual countries. Sea transportation occupies about 80% of the world’s cargo turnover, and this percentage increases every year. Sea transportation is the most efficient, reliable and economical way of international transportation of most goods. Corporate social responsibility is an integral part of sustainable development of maritime cargo transportation companies and includes care for the environment, labor rights and human rights, business ethics. In 2018, a strategy directed towards reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions from vessels by 2050 by at least 50% of the total volume compared to 2008 was adopted. The article proposes methods for calculating tracking indicators of the sea transport energy efficiency, basic elements of planning the energy efficiency management of the vessel are allocated. The sustainable development strategy of the Danish company Maersk, specializing in maritime freight transportation and port terminal maintenance, envisages four areas - climate change, inclusive trade, food loss and ship recycling. The Maersk’s partners are international organizations that contribute to the implementation of the UN sustainable development strategy. Since 2019 Maersk reports a 42% reduction in relative CO2 emissions compared to 2008. The company plans to jointly develop carbon dioxide fuel types and sustainable fuel solutions with energy suppliers, as well as with technology developers, researchers, investors and other transportation companies and logistics providers. Thus, Maersk is gradually demonstrating a global commitment to the ecologically sustainable logistics in line with its commitment to reducing carbon emissions across the supply chain. Maersk has taken the initiative to abandon the use of fossil fuels and has set a global goal of achieving zero carbon emissions by 2050 in the performance of all its operations.