BW LPG Recycles ‘BW Helios’ In Compliance With Hong Kong Convention

CEO of BW LPG, Martin Ackermann confirms that their LPG carrier the 1992-built BW Helios arrived at a certified, Hong Kong Convention applicable, a recycling facility in India on 21st January 2019.

“At BW LPG, we are firm supporters of the Hong Kong Convention on the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, although many countries have yet to ratify the Convention. We go to great lengths – some which go beyond the Convention – to ensure we are fully compliant and that we are recycling at a facility that provides safe and environmentally friendly disposal of waste, which has all been audited, and provides safe working practices for its workforce; particularly that no children are employed,” he said.

For recycling the 57,160 CBM BW Helios (IMO 8912182), BW LPG identified the Atam Manohar Ship Breakers facility in Alang, India. The yard was fully inspected and certified by an International Class Society in Mar 2017, meeting the requirements of IMO Resolution 210/63, 2012 guidelines for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, as per the Hong Kong Convention.

BW LPG provided a class certified inventory of hazardous materials and waste (IHM) to the yard to ensure that safe handling, separation, transportation will be achieved with no harm to the workforce and no contact with the sea or unprotected soil. A full and comprehensive ship recycling plan (SRP) has been prepared by the yard and approved by class DNV GL to ensure strict compliance with international rules and legislation and BW LPG’s policy.

An observer and company supervisor from BW LPG remains on site and provides daily reports on progress, compliance and that the recycling plan is being applied at all times.

Martin Ackermann believes that the ship recycling industry is in a period of transition with an increasing number of yards being certified in line with the Hong Kong Convention. In anticipation of ratification of the Hong Kong Convention, dozens of shipyards in Alang and other locations in South East Asia and Turkey – have invested heavily and already reached a level that guarantees Hong Kong Convention standards.

“Rather than to exclude facilities based on their geographical location, the only way to ensure health and safety of workers is to impose global legislation. This global legislation will stimulate all countries and individual shipbreaking yards to raise their standards and make substantial progress in the area of safe and environmentally friendly ship recycling.

If we abandon ship recycling breaking yards where the communities heavily rely on recycling and they are left to work with countries with no proper regulation, the international community will have played a damaging role in promoting the lowest standards, rather than helping those yards to improve and prosper”.

Press releases: bwlpg.com

Photo Courtesy: bwlpg.com

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