What is the shipbreaking industry? What products are produced after the dismantling of a ship? Shipbreaking refers to the industry that specializes in dismantling ships into parts and metal materials. Ships such as container ships, bulk carriers, oil tankers, cruise ships, or yachts, after years of use, are sent to shipbreaking yards for dismantling due to aging, damage, or inability to meet modern shipping regulations and environmental requirements. The shipbreaking process includes ship dismantling, disassembly, recycling, and disposal of ship debris. The metal products and other waste generated by shipbreaking are an important part of driving resource reuse. After ship dismantling, these materials and products are often obtained:
Metal materials: including steel, copper, aluminum and other metal materials, which can be recycled and reused.
Mechanical parts: such as engines, pumps, valves, etc., which can be overhauled and rebuilt for use in other ships or machinery.
Instruments and equipment: including navigation instruments, communication equipment, fire-fighting equipment, etc., which can also be overhauled, rebuilt, and reused in other ships.
Ship cables: the metal materials and insulation materials such as copper, plastic, fiber, etc., in the ship cables can be recycled.
Debris and other waste: including wood, fiberglass, plastic, and other materials, which can be processed and recycled, such as for use as fuel, landfill materials, and so on.
How much is the annual output of the ship-breaking industry? What impact does it have on steel recycling?
According to Clarksons Research, the global ship-breaking industry has an annual average output of about 2.61 million metric tons from 2010 to 2020. Steel is the primary structural material used in ships, and during the ship-breaking process, steel is usually separated and recycled, then reprocessed into other products. Therefore, steel plays a very important role in the ship-breaking industry. The majority of the global ship-breaking output is made up of the steel components of ships. According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), steel accounts for about 85% of the materials in ship-breaking, while other materials such as wood, fiberglass, plastics, and electronics account for the remaining 15%.
The value of the ship-breaking industry is influenced by various factors, such as the type of ships being dismantled, their age and size, and the location of the dismantling. In addition, costs related to labor, equipment, energy, and resources during the dismantling process can also affect economic benefits.
According to a report by the IMO, the dismantling of a ship can generate more than $4 million in economic benefits, including the revenue of ship-breakers, the value of recycled metals, and profits for related industries. Furthermore, the ship-breaking industry can stimulate local employment and the development of related industries such as infrastructure construction, playing a certain role in promoting local economic growth.
Data source: Clarksons Research. Each 1 LDT (light displacement tonne) of a vessel is approximately equal to 0.25 MT (metric tonne).
Who dominates the shipbreaking industry? Which countries have advantages in shipbreaking?
The shipbreaking industry is mainly dominated by Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, and Turkey. India and Bangladesh are the largest market share holders. These countries usually have extensive coastal areas, cheap labor, and abundant natural resources, which make them the main regions for shipbreaking.
According to the 2021 data on global shipbreaking market share from Clarksons Research:
Bangladesh: accounts for about 25% of global shipbreaking volume
India: accounts for about 20% of global shipbreaking volume
Pakistan: accounts for about 8% of global shipbreaking volume
Turkey: accounts for about 7% of global shipbreaking volume
China: accounts for about 6% of global shipbreaking volume
Here are some of the main shipbreaking ports:
Chittagong, Bangladesh: This is one of the largest shipbreaking ports in the world, where most of the shipbreaking in Bangladesh takes place.
Alang, India: India's largest shipbreaking port, and also one of the largest in the world.
Gadani, Pakistan: Pakistan's largest shipbreaking port, accounting for about 7% of global production.
Sitakunda, Bangladesh: The second-largest shipbreaking port in Bangladesh, with slightly lower shipbreaking volume than in Chittagong.
Aliaga, Turkey: Turkey is the largest shipbreaking country in Europe, and Aliaga is its largest shipbreaking port.
Behind the beautiful industry of shipbreaking lies the issues of environmental impact and labor safety.
Shipbreaking is a significant global metal recycling industry that has remarkable impacts and contributions to the world economy and industry. However, intensive labor and mechanical operations inevitably have a huge impact on both environmental impact and labor safety. Details are described as follows:
Environmental impacts of shipbreaking: Pollution during shipbreaking: Shipbreaking generates a large amount of pollutants, including hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste, oil pollution, metal debris, etc. If not properly handled, these pollutants may have a severe impact on the environment and human health.
Choice of shipbreaking site: Many shipbreaking sites are located near the coastline, which may have an impact on the local natural ecosystem and public health. Furthermore, improper choice of shipbreaking sites may lead to water pollution, increased harmful substances in the air, and other issues.
Impact of metal recycling: Shipbreaking is a highly metal recycling industry, but this method may also damage the environment. In the recycling process, a large amount of wastewater and carbon dioxide emissions may be generated, further exacerbating global climate change and environmental problems.
Hazardous substances on ships: Ships may be added with various hazardous substances during use, such as asbestos, lead, mercury, etc., which may be released into the environment during the shipbreaking process and pose a potential threat to local residents.
Global trade impact: Shipbreaking is an industry closely related to global trade. If the global trade environment is unstable, it may have an impact on shipbreaking, further affecting local economy and employment opportunities. In addition, if the number of ships decreases sharply, shipbreaking sites may not be able to adapt to the surplus supply, leading to environmental problems.
The impact of shipbreaking industry on labor safety:
Health risks: Shipbreaking workers are exposed to toxic and hazardous environments for prolonged periods of time, such as harmful chemicals, noise, dust, high temperatures, etc. These factors have serious health effects on them, including lung diseases, skin diseases, hearing loss, poisoning, etc.
Safety risks: Shipbreaking workers work in extremely dangerous environments, with risks such as heights, narrow spaces, corroded metal, machinery, etc. These factors have led to a high occupational accident rate for workers, including falls, machinery injuries, fires, etc.
Labor rights: There is a lack of basic labor protection measures such as medical insurance, pension, and work injury compensation. Shipbreaking workers' wages are often very low, resulting in a low quality of life.
Social risks: The shipbreaking industry often has social issues such as illegal labor, child labor, and human trafficking. These issues seriously affect the survival and development of workers, and have a serious negative impact on society.
Environmental risks: The shipbreaking industry often causes serious pollution to the environment, such as discharging sewage and toxic waste. Pollutants have a serious impact on the surrounding environment and residents.
The shipbreaking industry plays a critical role in the global ship recycling market, but also faces many problems and challenges. Environmental issues, labor safety issues, and illegal behavior in the shipbreaking industry all need to be taken seriously and addressed. In order to improve the sustainability and social responsibility of the shipbreaking industry, governments and businesses need to play an active role, such as establishing stricter regulatory systems, improving labor safety, and promoting the development of green shipbreaking technologies. Only through the efforts of all parties around the world can the shipbreaking industry achieve better sustainable development and make greater contributions to the shipping industry. If you need to learn more about the shipbreaking industry, you can refer to the following organization news, regulations, and news:
International Maritime Organization (IMO) - Responsible for developing global regulations on ship recycling. https://www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/ShipRecycling/Pages/Default.aspx
NGO Shipbreaking Platform - Committed to raising public awareness and discussion on issues related to shipbreaking industry. https://shipbreakingplatform.org/
Clarksons Research - A leading global research organization in the shipping industry, providing market analysis and reports related to ship recycling on its website. https://www.clarksons.com/research/
Marine Insight - Provides news, commentary, technical articles, and industry information related to the ship recycling industry. https://www.marineinsight.com/tag/shipbreaking/
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