NGO Shipbreaking Platform, a vocal opponent of the beaching method of shipbreaking, has insisted that the European Commission’s decision to inspect beaching yards should not be taken as a sign that it is ready to approve such facilities.
The Brussels-based lobby group, which seeks clean and safe shipbreaking, said the inspections are simply a part of the due process of the application and it does not mean the EC will change its stance on beaching yards.
Ingvild Jenssen, NGO Shipbreaking Platform founder, told TradeWinds: “I think they [the EC] have rightfully said they will take all applications seriously and, after a consultative review and many clarifications, have said that they would undertake a ground audit.”
NGO Shipbreaking Platform has always insisted that South Asian beaching yards do not meet the standards set out in the EC’s Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR) and that even yards that have won statement of compliance certification from the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships fall short of the European standard.
'Sticking to its guns'
Jenssen said she did not believe that the EC had been influenced by China’s decision to withdraw from the international shipbreaking market. She said the EC had insisted it was ready to stick to its guns and not include beaching yards despite concerns expressed by European shipowners over the lack of recycling capacity.
“I do not think that China will influence what the EC will do,” she said. “The commission has signalled that it will not lower its standards and I don’t expect any beaching yards to be included in its final list.”
Three other Indian yards are understood to have applied for European Union approval — Priya Blue Industries, RL Kalthia Ship Breaking and Leela Ship Recycling.
