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.
A New Era for Elephants
The Chinese government decides to close its domestic ivory market. As a first step, on 31 March 2017 at the latest, approved ivory processing workshops will no longer have the right to engage in this activity. Secondly, by December 31, 2017, approved retail ivory stores will have to abandon this market. These workshops and stores were supplied with “legal” ivory from some Southern African countries and ivory poached across the African continent.
The reconversion of workshops and stores will be assisted.
The fight against raw and carved ivories smuggling and clandestine ivory workshops will be strengthened.
Consumer information will be increased to “create a propitious environment for the protection of elephants, other wild fauna and flora” according to the Chinese government’s announcement.
“For cultural reasons”, the only authorised commercial activity involving ivory will be the auction of certified antiques.
A New Era for Elephants
The Chinese government decides to close its domestic ivory market. As a first step, on 31 March 2017 at the latest, approved ivory processing workshops will no longer have the right to engage in this activity. Secondly, by December 31, 2017, approved retail ivory stores will have to abandon this market. These workshops and stores were supplied with “legal” ivory from some Southern African countries and ivory poached across the African continent.
The reconversion of workshops and stores will be assisted.
The fight against raw and carved ivories smuggling and clandestine ivory workshops will be strengthened.
Consumer information will be increased to “create a propitious environment for the protection of elephants, other wild fauna and flora” according to the Chinese government’s announcement.
“For cultural reasons”, the only authorised commercial activity involving ivory will be the auction of certified antiques.
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.
To save the donkeys from the Chinese predators
A tremendous boom in donkey skin exports towards China from northern to southern Africa has been noticed over the last year. The countries hit the most are Egypt, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and South Africa. In Egypt, one donkey was sold 17 € two years ago and 170 € today.
Burkina Faso is the symbol of this sudden persecution.
– 1st quarter 2015: 1000 skins exported.
– 4th quarter 2015: 18.000 skins.
– 1st half of the year 2016: 65.000 skins.
