IMO Green Lights 'Green Passport' Initiative
by Geoff Garfield, Tradewinds
18 October 2002 (London, England) –
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is pressing ahead with the idea of a cradle-to-grave "Green Passport" for ships. But environmentalists are still angry that moves to clean up the scrapping industry will be voluntary.
A document from the shipbuilder is envisaged that would contain details of all potentially hazardous materials on board a vessel. The passport would be updated by successive owners throughout its working life to include design and equipment changes. It would be then presented to the scrapping yard by the final owner.
IMO sub-committees are being asked to produce a list of high-risk materials and the Flag State Implementation subcommittee is to look into the controversial issue of final voyages and port-state control.
Draft IMO guidelines on ship-recycling were again discussed at last week's Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC). It intends to produce a final draft for adoption by the next IMO Assembly in 2003.
Eco-campaigner Greenpeace, however, has labelled the whole process "insufficient" and pledges to keep fighting for mandatory rules instead of guidelines.
Toxic-waste activist Marietta Harjono suggests there is not the political will at IMO to impose strict rules to prevent workers in developing countries being exposed to toxic fumes, explosions or materials like asbestos.
She argues that guidelines will distort both the demolition and wider shipping markets because some owners will comply but many others will not.
The industry, under the International Chamber of Shipping, has already produced a voluntary code including presenting ships gas-free but Harjono insisted: "You need a legal, binding instrument."
Greenpeace, which is pushing for a ship-recycling convention or annexe to Marpol, says it supports a proposal from India highlighting the need for a legal system that places responsibility for a vessel on its final owner.
"You need to clarify responsibility at the end of a ship's life cycle," said Harjono.
Greenpeace wants ships to be decontaminated before export to Asia and owners/operators held responsible for any environmental and health damage.
Norway, the Netherlands and Denmark already support mandatory measures. A major issue is whether ships themselves should be regarded as waste or simply the materials contained within them.
A ruling in the Netherlands earlier this year treated the 33,900-dwt tanker Sandrien as toxic waste and it was prevented from being exported for demolition in Asia because it would contravene the 1995 Basel Convention controlling transboundary movement of waste.
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