Everything about Ship Breaking totally explained
Ship breaking or
ship demolition is a type of
recycling involving the breaking up of
ships for
scrap. Most ships have a lifespan of a few decades before there's so much wear that refitting and repair becomes uneconomic. Ship breaking allows for materials from the ship, especially steel, to be given a new life in a new vessel.
A ship that has been scrapped is sometimes colloquially said to have been "made into
razor blades."
History and transition
Until the late twentieth century, ship breaking took place in port cities of
industrialized countries such as
Great Britain and the
United States. Today most ship breaking yards are in other nations, principally
Pakistan,
Bangladesh, and
India, due to lower labor costs and less stringent environmental regulations dealing with the disposal of lead paint and other toxic substances. Some "breakers" still remain in the United States. There are also some in Dubai, UAE for tankers.
Health and environmental risks
In addition to steel and other useful materials, however, ships (particularly older vessels) can contain many substances that are banned or considered dangerous in
developed countries.
Asbestos and
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are typical examples. Asbestos was used heavily in ship construction until it was finally banned in most of the developed world in the mid 1980s. Currently, the costs associated with removing asbestos, along with the potentially expensive insurance and health risks, have meant that ship-breaking in most developed countries is no longer economically viable. Removing the metal for scrap can potentially cost more than the scrap value of the metal itself. In the developing world, however, shipyards can operate without the risk of
personal injury lawsuits or
workers' health claims, meaning many of these shipyards may operate with high health risks. Protective equipment is sometimes absent or inadequate. Dangerous vapors and fumes from burning materials can be inhaled, and dusty asbestos-laden areas are commonplace.
Aside from the health of the yard workers, in recent years, ship breaking has also become an issue of major
environmental concern. Many ship breaking yards in developing nations have lax or no
environmental law, enabling large quantities of highly toxic materials to escape into the environment and causing serious health problems among shipbreakers, the local population and wildlife. Environmental campaign groups such as
Greenpeace have made the issue a high priority for their campaigns.
As an alternative to ship breaking, many ships are also sunk to make
artificial reefs after being cleaned up.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Ship Breaking'.
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