Green Ships:Ship breaking Regulations
Contents
Hong Kong Convention
Summary
Strengths
Weaknesses
AFS Convention
Summary
According to AFS, will enter force and become binding on the parties one year after 25 states, representing 25% of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage, have ratified it. (Gipperth). Panama became the 25th state (out of 166 IMO member countries) to ratify the convention. These 25 countries represent 38.09% of worlds merchant shipping tonnage, convention entered force September 2008. (Gipperth)
Strengths
AFS Convention prohibited all use of TBT based antifouling paints in 2008. (Stichnothe)
Weaknesses
Due to entering into force of AFS convention on September 2008, huge amount of TBT containing wastes is expected to be produced, near shipyards, in following months. (Stichnothe)
European Commission
Summary
Strengths
Weaknesses
Basel Convention
Summary
The Basel Convention remains the principal international legal instrument of regulation on the shipbreaking industry. (Alam). The main purpose of the Basel Convention is to ensure that parties take responsibility for their own hazardous waste, establish hazardous waste disposal facilities (including recycling) within their territory, minimise the generation and transboundary movement of hazardous waste, and ensure that they do not export the hazards and damage to human health and the environment, to other countries. (Alam). The European Waste Shipment Regulation 259/93/EEC determines which procedures to apply before waste can be shipped within, into and out of the European Community.26 The Regulation is largely based on the Basel Convention. (Alam). In most cases, ships exported for shipbreaking are a clear violation of these objectives. (Alam).