If a shipbreaking yard in India does not have the facility to treat a particular kind of hazardous waste contained in a ship headed for recycling, the responsibility for removing the hazardous waste should lie with the flag state. This was one of the key messages delivered to an inter-sessional working group meeting at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London.
A delegation from India pressed for a legally acceptable demolition contract and de-registration of a ship from a ship seller in order to create a transparent and safe recycling process. �There have been several instances where gullible shipbreakers at Alang have been handed ships by a cash buyer without proper documentation (or information concerning) the contents of the ship, or that it is already mortgaged,� revealed Ajoy Chatterjee, Chief Surveyor and Additional Director General at India�s Ministry of Shipping.
The IMO - a specialist agency of the United Nations comprising representatives from 167 member states concerned with maritime security, safety, environmental concerns and legal matters involving shipping - is in the process of framing guidelines for the shipbreaking industry. With recent controversies involving the French warship Clemenceau and the Norwegian Blue Lady, India has become more cautious about accepting end-of-life ships.
