Shipping giant NYK is teaming up with Japan’s Oono Development to study the commercialisation of ship demolition in Japan.
The Tokyo-headquartered company has inked a memorandum of understanding with Oono Development to study the project.
Ehime-based Oono Development is engaged in various environment-related businesses – ranging from demolition to waste disposal. It aims to realise a sustainable resource-recycling society.
The partners will explore how ships and large offshore structures will be dismantled in Japan and recycled as steel scrap and other materials.
NYK said ship dismantling work will be carried out at Oono Development’s dry dock – the only facility in the country that can handle large oceangoing vessels.
NKY said: “Oono Development will adopt its unique method, incorporating state-of-the-art onshore dismantling and waste treatment, with consideration of the environment and occupational safety, and promote the recycling and decarbonisation of steel resources.”
NYK said this ship dismantling programme will further promote global decarbonisation as the steel industry is shifting towards electric furnaces and expanding the use of steel scrap.
It added that scrap with low impurity content, which is difficult to remove from molten steel, is becoming increasingly valuable as a high-quality iron resource.
NYK said it has been working to achieve its goal regarding ship dismantling, which is to ensure that vessels are appropriately dismantled per the standards of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.
Its dry bulk division has also been working to participate in supply chains beyond the shipping industry, focusing on commodities that promote decarbonisation to develop new businesses.
“This business study is conducted to encourage decarbonisation and realise a circular economy through more sophisticated ship recycling that meets the growing global awareness of legal compliance, environmental conservation and occupational safety assurance,” said NYK.
