News

Investments in clean shipbreaking

Amsterdam, July 12, 2005 - Recently it was announced that the funding for a zero pollution shipbreaking yard in The Netherlands is in place. A 64 million euro yard will be built in Eemshaven, in the north of Netherlands. The proposed dry-dock facility anticipates the dismantling of ships, platforms and other maritime vessels from 2007 on. For more information see http://www.ecodock.nl

A few weeks later this issue - the need for clean shipbreaking capacity - was under debate in Brussels with European Members of Parliament. A number of 50 people representing the European Commission, shipowners, NGOs, shipbreakers, members of parliament and governments discussed the following statements:

(1) Beaching must be phased out
(2) Last ship owners must be obliged to dismantle environmentally sound
(3) Shipowners have to pay for dismantling on the polluters pays principle
(4) No dismantling without governmental approval
(5) Ship recycling part and parcel of flag registration and
(6) Phasing out of single hull oiltankers must be completed with environmentally sound shiprecycling. It was recognised that the upcoming crisis of single hull oil tankers underlines the urgent need for clean ship breaking capacity.

Although no common conclusion was reached on these statements, this debate was an important step in setting the agenda on the issue of shipbreaking in the European Parliament.