the ECSA invites the EU to reward those Asian yards of demolition naval that raise their standards



The association of the European shipowners has exhorted the European institutions newly to support the development of practical responsibles of naval demolition in the Indian plants, being emphasized that the yards of Alang, in particular, currently constitute one of the more important centers for the recycling of the ships and are probable that they will continue it to being for many years to come.

The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) has evidenced that, "since almost 70% of all the ships are recycled in southern Asia, it is all-important to assure that practical responsibles are encouraged. The EU - it has observed the association - has to its disposition a great instrument in order to reach this objective, but unfortunately a lot different seems to have chosen a direction".

"For years - it has found the president of the ECSA, Niels Smedegaard - Alang and other sites of southern Asia are criticized for the not sufficient standards, and - it has specified - it has been just so. However - it has added - the things are changing positively and this would have to be supported and not put to risk. Even if there are yards in which they are clearly necessary improvements - have explained Smedegaard - others have already assumed the initiative to modify their procedures of recycling adapting itself to modern and advance standards".

According to the ECSA, he is therefore indispensable that "l '' EU supports Alang and limits simply not to ignore it". For the association of the European shipowners, "if applied with a constructive approach and including, the directory EU of the yards authorized to the demolition could be the "carrot" that he determines a fundamental change in the way in which the recycling he is carried out to total level".

"Unfortunately - the general secretary has complained of the ECSA, Patrick Verhoeven - the signs that reaches from the EU commission are all unless encouraging. Lines guide on which the yards of demolition they must found practical theirs - it has specified - do not distinguish between not dangerous hazardous waste and, what that in fact it excludes all yards in India, also those advance ones. We consider that this is disproportionate and simply it discourages the yards carrying out ulterior investments in order to elevate the standards".

The ECSA has confirmed to totally support the decision of some great shipowners to estimate the practical ones of recycling first hand that are carried out to Alang. Between these evidently the Danish group Maersk, than recently has begun the start to the demolition of own ships in India within a program of dismantling of the ships realized with responsible and sustainable techniques ( on 13 May 2016). "Here - it has specified Verhoeven - not draft of a lowering of the standards, but rather the contrary, that is a way in order to reward those systems of recycling that now have raised their standards in order to adapt them to those of the main shipowners. Sending tonnage to these responsible systems of Alang, these shipowners engage also personal and resources in order to monitor and to share best the practical ones, effectively developing the future of the region".

According to the ECSA, now the European Union is found now to a crucial junction: "it can - it has found the association - act as is fly of development that to reward innovating Indian yards, giving it possibility to they to be enclosed in the list EU, or can confirm the opinion of many skeptics of the EU and ignore important developments completely in existence world-wise. The general objective of the regulations EU - it has concluded the ECSA - must be that to improve the environmental conditions and social in the field of the recycling of the ships. This cannot be made if the EU prohibits to the ships that fly flag of the European Union to support a positive development of primary yards".