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SUB: NATIONAL
WORKSHOP ON THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION FOR SAFE AND
ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND RECYCLING OF SHIPS
(7th -10th January-2008)
PREAMBLE:
International
Maritime Organization (IMO) is an UN agency is preparing Ship
Recycling Convention – an International Law for Safe &
Environmentally Sound Management of Ship Recycling, so that all
countries in world can undertake the ship recycling in common code
of practice in sustainable mean. In this connection, IMO is
arranging various workshops and seminar to create awareness among
the world community especially among the ship recycling countries.
So far IMO conducted two seminars, one in Turkey and another in
China. In this connection, National Workshop was held here in India
from 7th January to 10th January-2008. This was commenced with a
visit to recycling yards in Alang on 7th January-2008 by the
International Experts and IMO delegates along with senior officials
of Director General of Shipping and Shipping Ministry. After the
visit of these experts and delegates, the workshop was continued
with presentation and discussions in Mumbai, aiming to help
stakeholders and policy makers would form clear perspectives of
their positions in relation to the draft IMO convention, also to
communicate their needs and concerns to the invited international
speakers so as to influence and facilitate the development of the
International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound
Recycling of ships.
The development of IMO convention on ship recycling is progressing
according to the work plan which focuses that convention will be
adopted by the diplomatic conference to be held possibly in Hong
Kong in April-2009. In this period, there are very limited
opportunities for further developing the draft convention and
resolving the various issues where agreement is needed.
Visit of the IMO delegates to Alang on 7th January -2008:
Safety Training Institute :
The visit was
organized by Ship Breakers Association in their vehicle as scheduled
by GMB
The visit started with first attending the Safety Training and Labor
Welfare Institute at Alang. Delegates witnessed various class room
training of labors of various jobs of ship recycling on safety and
waste management, different displays posters & pictures
communicating safety priority messages. They astonished when they
saw GMB’s commitment of engaging labors’ families into
socio-economic activities like using preparing various cloths crafts
for their income. Library was one of the attractions of the
delegates. In meeting room of Safety Institute, delegates were shown
documentary film on various on the job training courses in fire
fighting and attending emergencies. The delegates were served tea,
coffees, biscuits and local fruits.
Visit to Ship Recycling Plots :
After the visit of
safety training institute, delegates visited Plot No 79 of Shree Ram
Vessel Pvt Ltd. There they saw state of art technique of removal of
asbestos containing material from ship’s parts and pipes in negative
pressure chamber.
Then, visit continued with visit to Plot No 13 of M/s Baijnath
Melaram Ship Breakers where a tanker of 16000 LDT of which was
biggest vessel among the vessels beached in Alang after issuance of
order of Hon’ble SC with special emphasis on a fact that at Alang
Tanker could beach just at threshold of the plot which is not
possible in Bangladesh kind of countries. The plot was found neat
and clean.
The delegates of imo visited plot no 2 owned and operated by Leela
Ship Recycling Private limited and found it to be having an asbestos
handling unit of International Standard, a Modern Incinerator, an
updated analytical laboratory, a medical clinic, a modern workmen
utility area and an adequate workmen training facility within the
yard". This shows that this recycling yard has safe and
environmentally friendly facilities for responsible ship recycling.
In each plots, the
delegates were offered break fasts and cold drinks. Due to time
overrun, the delegates dropped to visit Plot No V-1 where Ship Blue
Lady was beached.
Visit to
Hazardous Waste Management System developed by GMB operated by M/s
Gujarat Enviro Protection Infrastructure Ltd (GEPIL)
The delegates
visited the site of waste management there they saw land fill sites
for disposal of asbestos & glass wool waste and hazardous wastes.
The delegates were informed about the legislative requirement of
construction aspects of land fill and operational aspect under the
frame work of Central Pollution Control Board Criteria. They were
impressed upon such dedicated landfill facilities for disposal of
the wastes generated from Alang yard.
Presentations and Culture Programs in Bhavnagar
:
Finally at the end
of the day in evening, there were short session held on presentation
and discussion in Hotel Neelam Baugh. Ship Breakers Asso, GPCB, GMB
made presentations on their roles and responsibilities in ship
recycling where as representative of Savardhan Trust- a local NGO
made also one presentation on positive impact of ship recycling on
local community. Chief Surveyor to GoI of DG Shipping explained the
purpose of visit and mission of IMO for ship recycling. Finally Ship
Breakers associations concluded the seminar thanking the IMO
delegates for their visit to Alang and sharing the international
expertise with vote of thanks. Ship Breakers Asso gave small
memento- a cloth of traditional design showing local heritage of
Kutchhi Neating (wall piece).
The day ended with beautiful and interesting culture program of
traditional dance by the artists in the hotel followed by hi dinner.
The IMO team along with GMB officers and ship breakers flew to
Mumbai on 8th January-2008 in morning from Bhavanagar:
Seminar on
National Workshop was held in Mumbai by DG Shipping in Maritime
Training Institute of Shipping Corporation of India at Powai.(8-10th
January-2008)
8th January-2008:
There was a grand
ceremony of opening the national workshop with welcome address by Mr
Ajoy Chatterji, Chief Surveyor to GoI of DG Shipping followed by
introductory speech for purpose of Ship Recycling Convention and
this workshop.
Then Mrs Kiran Dhingra, Director General of Shipping addressed the
forum as Chief Guest in absence of the Secretary, Shipping of GoI
who was not able to be there due to their hectic schedules. The DG
Shipping expressed her confidence that IMO workshop in India would
examine the over reaching aims and mechanisms of the convention,
current status of its development, the work plan up to the time of
holding the diplomatic conference in 2009, a comparison between the
IMO draft convention and the Basel Convention, the economic
background and realities of the ship recycling industries n India
and other development taking place such as recent decision of
Supreme Court, the needs for further development of infrastructure
in India’s recycling industry etc
After noon, there were two presentations were made from following
speakers:
Mr Jen Koefoedm
Norwegian Maritime Directorate, Chairman of IMO working group on
Ship Recycling explained the process of IMO for development of draft
convention and the work program up to its adoption.
Mr Sveinung Oftedal of Ministry of Environment, Norway
explained Overview of the structure and control mechanism contained
in the draft IMO Convention on Ship Recycling.
9th January-2008 :
Mr Koichi Kato,
Director for International Affair, Ship Building Division, Maritime
Bureau, Ministry for Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Japan made
presentation on “Practical Approach towards the establishment of
mandatory requirement in ship recycling including the Guidelines for
recycling facilities”. After the visit to Alang, he was satisfied
with the method of beaching for recycling since he earlier had
recommended that beaching methods be not continued for new ship
recycling facilities. He in his presentation expressed that
technical aspect of beaching methods be further examined to continue
for the same in future.
Mrs Claude Wonder, Secretariat General, de mission, France
made presentation on “Some key outstanding issues in development of
the IMO convention on ship recycling”. The weight was given to the
effect that ship recycling plan needs to be approved by the party
authorizing the ship recycling facilities and favored that prior
hazardous material removal is needed with information of removal
contained in ship recycling plan.
Mr Ajoy Chatterji, Chief Surveyor cum Addl DG (Engg) of DG
Shipping, made presentation on “The development of the IMO
Convention on Ship Recycling by the Indian delegation at IMO.” He
explained on verification and certification of ship recycling
facilities, ship recycling contract identifying all stakeholders,
recycling facilities in non-parties state, De-registration issues
etc
Mr Matthew Burton of US department of State presented his
paper on “Treatment of Non-Parties Under the draft convention”. US
feels that states negotiating this convention could make very much
positive process in near future on both the non-parties issues and
accordingly to develop a mutually agreeable process that should be
sufficient transparent and specific to allow non-party recycling
facilities, which meets the standards in convention to recycle the
party ships.
Mr I N Bose of Indian National Ship Owners Asso made
presentation on “Ship Recycling: Indian Owner’s Perspectives”. He
emphasis on proper inventory of hazardous materials used in the ship
be provided in each ships.
Mr Sanjay Tyagi, Member Secretary, Gujarat Pollution Control
Board made presentation on “Ship Recycling Infrastructure
Development” including landfill and other facilities for disposal of
hazardous waste at Alang”. He explained GPCB’s role &
responsibilities in ship recycling, status of environmental
infrastructure at Alang including operation of current landfill
facilities, process of oil removal and their environmental
monitoring at Alang.
Mr A K Chakrobarthy of Ministry of Labor made presentation on
“The ship recycling in India Occupational Safety and Health Issues”.
He explained the state of Indian Regulations on Safety and Health
Management of labors in Ship Recycling in India which he tried to
correlate with several international rules and regulations on labor
laws and protection of their health and rights in the industrial
activities. The proposed convention is good steps for safety and
health view points of the workers.
Mr Atul Sharma, Environmental Engineer of Gujarat Maritime
Board made presentation on “The Implementation of recent directives
of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India regarding sustainable and
environmental friendly ship recycling in India”. He explained the
roles and responsibility of GMB in the ship recycling, background of
Hon’ble SC’s involvement in Ship Recycling, gist of SC’s earlier
order dated 14th Oct-2007and recent order dated 6th Sept-2007,
status of its implementation and its compliance and status of
environmental infrastructure at Alang, comparison of SC’s directives
with proposed convention. During the presentation he communicated
that Alang almost complies the draft convention and therefore ships
be not diverted to other countries where there were hardly any
compliance hence more ships be sent to Alang kind of location. He
also informed that once the convention comes into adoption, Alang
shall comply fully since at present. Decontamination of ship by the
exporting countries be made mandatory with insertion of inventory of
hazardous materials on board the ship to enable to comply the Apex
Court order of India in Indian Yard for recycling.
10th January-2008 :
Mrs Donnata
Rugarabamu, Senior Legal Officer, Secretariat of Basel
Convention, Geneva, Switzerland made presentation on “The role of
Basel Convention in ship recycling; an options for future
coordination with new IMO Convention”. She felt that there should be
an effective coordination between recycling regime established under
Basel and IMO etc.
Mr Roy Watkinson, Senior Policy Specialist, Department of
Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), UK and Vice President
in Basel Convention made presentation on “Achieving coherence
between the Basel Convention and future IMO Convention on Ship
Recycling”. He explained mandate of Basel Convention in Ship
Recycling for objective of waste management on polluters to pay
principles, prior decontamination, storage, treatment, incineration
and landfilling issues, prior informed consent systems and report
systems for ships to be imported for recycled, responsibilities
under Basel on Waste generator, waste carrier, and disposer,
competent authorities in states of import, export and transit,
establishing Environmentally Sound Management System(ESM) standards
for ship recycling etc
Discussion and Debate:
Points on GMB related aspects:
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There were
questions asked on registration of workers, in reply GMB rep
explained that presently it was decided that while submitting
dismantling plans, ship recyclers shall submit a list of the
trained labors to Port Officer to maintain data base of labor.
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On involvement
of Classification Societies and their roles, GMB informed that
Indian Registration of Classification Societies (IRS) being soon
involved in assessment and preparation of inventory of hazardous
materials on board the ships.
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On issues of
prior decontamination of wastes of the ships, GMB stated that it
is mandate of Hon’ble SC of India in their order dated 14th
Oct-2003 that prior decontamination by ship owner is a mandatory
requirement hence it has to be included in the draft convention.
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On data of
ecological status at Alang which was presented in GMB’s slide
show, discussion took place on the status of biodiversity at
Alang be inventorized by GMB. GMB replied that data shown was of
the year 1995-96 and at present GPCB is monitoring various
environmental; parameters after the mandate of Hon’ble SC and
according to them there is no pollution level increased in last
few years, this means that even if activities of ship recycling
are increased over last 10 years, there is no threat on local
biodiversity as supported by GPCB. GMB in turn explained that
due to high tide, strong current and high turbidity do not
support primary life systems at Alang. However, GMB informed
that there is no harm in undertaking more biodiversity study to
fine tune flora and fauna and impact of ship recycling on it if
there be any.
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Workshop on Ship Recycling at Alang
