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The shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh is going through troubled waters as the Department of Environment (DoE) categorised the industry as “Red,” for which shipyard owners are facing unnecessary complications, delays, harassment and losses.
Making the disclosure on Sunday, a Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association (BSBRA) press release mentions that the industry was previously classified as “Orange-B.”
The new regulations make it mandatory to obtain another environmental clearance after beaching and before dismantling each vessel – despite taking DoE clearance while the ship was in outer anchorage.
It takes up to an additional two months to secure this permission from the DoE director general. This delay is forcing shipyard owners to shoulder financial losses as they are not able to dismantle ships within schedule due to complications in obtaining environmental clearance.
Short history of classification
The shipbreaking industry was categorised as “Orange-B” under Environmental Conservation Rules 1997, while the DoE classified it as “Red” through an executive order in 2007.
The BSBRA and the industries ministry raised objections against the move. As per the request by the ministry and the recommendation by the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board (BSRB), the shipbreaking industry was re-categorised as “Orange-B” in 2021.
Since then, owners have been conducting ship recycling activities following the guidelines of the industries ministry, and rules of the DoE and Department of Explosives, ensuring environmental protection and the occupational health safety of workers.
Besides, for the overall development of this industry, as per the guidelines of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the industries ministry, the Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling (SENSREC) Project’s Phase-l and Phase-II, funded by the Norwegian government (NORAD Fund), was implemented.
Under Phase-I, training modules have been prepared and training has been given to shipyard workers and employees along with other related departmental officers and employees, while under Phase-II, 700 workers have been provided training and 200 trainers have been made through TOT courses. Phase-III is under implementation.
‘Now environment-friendly, safer’
Currently, ship recycling activities are being conducted in an environment-friendly manner by all these trained and skilled workers, read the release.
The industries ministry has selected a place for the construction of a Treatment Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) in Chattogram’s Sitakunda upazila for the management of wastes generated from this industrial sector.
According to the guidelines of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC), the shipbreaking industry is gradually moving towards green ship breaking and recycling. Currently, three yards have been upgraded to green ship breaking and recycling yards, and have obtained Class-NK certificates.
Another yard has received the IRS certificate and will also be Class-NK certified as a Green Ship Breaking and Recycling Yard.
The implementation of the Ship Recycling Facility Plan (SRFP) in other yards is progressing at a good pace for their upgradation to Green Ship Breaking and Recycling Yard.
At present, the activities of this industry have become more advanced, mechanised, environment friendly, and safer than before, the BSBRA said.
On April 26, a memorandum of cooperation on ship recycling was signed between Bangladesh and Japan during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the East Asian country.
Besides, the Bangladesh government has taken an initiative to ratify the Hong Kong Convention regarding the ship recycling industry by 2023 under the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Act, 2018.
Another initiative has been taken to perform the overall activities through a one-stop service by the Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board.
Under the circumstances, the BSBRA said, it is not clear to categorise the shipbreaking industry as “Red” again under Environmental Conservation Rules 2023 without informing the Ship Recycling Board or taking the opinions of the department concerned of the industries ministry, and the BSBRA as the main stakeholder.
With the latest move, the memorandum of cooperation between Bangladesh and Japan has been ignored, claimed the press release. Moreover, it has created a possibility of negatively impacting the initiative to ratify the Hong Kong Convention.
The shipbreaking yard owners – who have invested hundreds of crores of Taka and provided employment opportunities in the region – demanded an end to the ongoing harassment and complications in the industry, and sought reinstatement of the previous regulations.
