« Shipbreaking » # 47. The clear mirror of globalization
From January 1 to March 31, 2017, 225 ships out 240 were being demolished in India, in Bangladesh, in Pakistan, in China and in Turkey. 44 left for Asia for their last voyage under flags of financial or diplomatic convenience such as St. Kitts and Nevis, Palau, Togo, Niue or Mongolia. 76 ships had been built in Europe with European steel and Russian or Canadian asbestos. Only 5 ships are being broken up in European facilities.
The International Shipbreaking Show
⇒ On December 19, 2016, the European Union published its first list of approved ship recycling facilities.
– Germany keeps its hands clean. In the North Sea or the Baltic Sea, it does not offer any scrapping site for its fishing fleet, Navy vessels and container ships. It exports the sea waste to Turkey, India, Bangladesh and a bit in the Baltic States.
Shipbreaking 2016 Overview: Death is prowling in the shipscrapping yards, Europe exports more and more, Bangladesh and India are side by side, container ships are quickly finished off
Update, January 10, 2017
Death is prowling in the shipscrapping yards
2016 has been branded with November 1st drama at Gadani, Pakistan, when the explosion of the FPSO (Floating Production Storage and offloading) tanker Aces ex-Federal 1 caused 28 losses of life, 4 missing and tens of badly wounded and burnt. The ex ship was at the time holding several thousands tons of residual bunker oil and a number of gas cylinders. Families in mourning will receive each 1.5 million rupees, i.e. 14, 000 US$.
Anywhere else, fires aboard during scrapping are spilling toxic fumes in the atmosphere while losses of life by falls of metal pieces, electric shocks, explosions and gas inhalations are common.
Maersk keeps on getting rid of its garbage off Brittany
After having abandoned 517 containers fallen overboard the Svendborg Maersk on February 14, 2014 off Brest, the Danish shipping company Maersk is reoffending today with the wrecks of the Maersk Searcher and Maersk Shipper while they were sailing in a convoy from Denmark towards the demolition yards of Aliaga, Turkey. The 2 offshore supply tugs were towed by the Maersk Battler which was, according to informations collected by Robin des Bois, also doomed to be demolished in Turkey.
“Shipbreaking” #45, July 1 – September 30, 2016
“Shipbreaking” #45
Bulletin of information and analysis on ship demolition
from July 1 to September 30, 2016
– Update on ship demolition in Europe.
– The historical destinations.
– A supply vessel involved in the fight against the Olympic Bravery oil spill has left to be broken up.
– The hasty scrapping of container ships.
– Update on the Modern Express.
– Update on the disaster on Gadani ship dismantling beach (Pakistan).
“Shipbreaking” # 44, April 1 – June 30, 2016
“Shipbreaking” # 44 (pdf – 8 Mo)
Bulletin of information and analysis on ship demolition
from April 1 to June 30, 2016 (pdf, 90 p. – 8 Mo)
– The Panama Papers in the troubled waters of shipbreaking
– Alang is the first class beaching for Maersk
– More and more oil platforms on the beach
– A North Korean freighter to be scrapped in Mexico
– The Spanish aircraft carrier is looking for her final destination
– The latest news from in situ breakings of shipwrecks
