Shipbreaking - Readers' Corner(Comments are listed in reverse chronological order) |
| ||
|
Your comments, remarks and suggestions regarding shipbreaking and our materials on it are most welcome.
Your message will be partly or completely presented in this list if (1) you do not request the contrary
and (2) the Moderator selects it.
You will be identified by your signature or chosen "nick(name)". Your E-mail address will not be presented nor
given to third parties on their request unless it is part of the message body. Please send your mail
to the Moderator (click on any |
| ||
|
As I see it, a solution to the problem of shipbreaking has to be sought on two levels. First, at the international level, ILO should work together with IMO, UNEP and others to formulate some kind of international/regional framework agreement. (ILO is uniquely placed because of its tripartite structure to take into account the interests of the Governments, employers and workers concerned).
Second, at the national level, each of the developing countries involved has to be careful, not to loose job opportunities. ILO could at the same time (through a technical cooperation programme) try to ensure that the safety, health and environmental (SHE) level of protection improves. ILO could help facilitate the transfer of experience from one country to another, from one region to another; it could assist local government in implement the existing codes of practice, in spite of resistance; it could demonstrate that improved SHE aspects can lead to improved productivity, and show how employers and workers organizations can work together to achieve that end. |
| ||
| The answer to both of the questions immediately below from international officials (26 and 23 February) is YES. |
| ||
| ... may we ask if it is possible to link your article/discussion paper entitled "Is there a decent way to break up ships?" to our website? We think that this may be useful for parties to our Convention and those interested in this issue. |
| ||
| Would it be possible to pursue the case of shipbreaking as part of our global review -- beginning with the Atlantic Monthly article (on shipbreaking, May 2000), what the ILO is doing, what if any has been the interaction with us in the context of trade, adjustment and poverty issues, what its implications are for collaboration between us--current and future? |
| ||
|
I finally managed to download Ship breaking: A background paper (Dhaka, 1999) by Rahman and Tabarak Ullah). It seems to be a quite interesting overview of the local organisations involved, providing a general descriptions of the poor working conditions and an overview of the hazards involved. However, the actual process of emptying and breaking a ship is quite superficially described and the list of major violations from the labour inspectors is very general.
Visual safety promotion material, information about accidents, examples of good work practices and minimum PPE can help to promote safety among workers. The video is good for the general public and for awareness raising (which of course is the start). I can see why your Press Department made it, there is a story to tell. However, the actual solutions lie much deeper. The process of drafting guidelines and low-cost productivity and safety measures together with the shipbreakers employers' association could be the start of a process to increase productivity and "safety" awareness among the employers, as well as, amongst the workers. |
| ||
|
Until recently the momentum to undertake international initiatives with regard to ship-breaking activities on beachheads were in the doldrums. Now, the winds have shifted and it is full steam ahead as international bodies such as the Basel Convention (UNEP) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) and many non-governmental organizations are focussing attention on the environmental aspects of this issue. Numerous draft guidelines are in various stages of preparation. In view of the lack of information on worker safety and protection, ILO has commissioned an "issues paper" which will soon be posted on this website. It will provide a snap shot of the occupational safety and health problems faced by workers with suggestions for improvement where possible.
As the video has been available for some time, and many of the papers on this page had already been on the Internet in different places, a number of interesting comments pre-date the actual creation of this shipbreaking page, but which we felt were in the spirit of the User's Forum and worth sharing with you to stimulate discussion on shipbreaking acctivities. |
| ||
| I recently downloaded your publication "Is There A Decent Way To Break Up Ships?" from the ILO web site. In your bibliography, you reference the 1st Global Ship Scraping Summit and note that a second global ship scrapping summit is scheduled for 2001. Do you have any additional information about this? I am part of a team that is working on economic analysis and other issues related to the shipbreaking process. Some of my team members would be interested in attending this conference. |
| ||
|
I think the video was very balanced in its presentation of the economics of the situation - why the ships are where they are and why these countries need the scrap metal. It was not emotionally manipulative - such techniques could reduce its power. Not preachy at all.
Actually seeing how they break ships was interesting. Who is doing the work. Also, where they come from and why - and their almost total lack of safety equipment .... very scary. This video needs wider dissemination. A number of our Maritime Standards staff have viewed the tape. It is very informative and truely shows the bad conditions. No easy solutions. |
| ||
|
Very interesting video. Seems that some safety measures would be easy to implement. Watching all the workers in short pants and sandals made me wonder how much it would actually cost to at least put coveralls, safety goggles and work boots on each person. All these items are made in the countries concerned, and the unit cost is very low. Even the bulk cost of an outfit, goggles and gloves for each worker aboard ship in the US is very cheap.
A general shower area after the work day would at least partially remove surface contaminants from most of the individuals ... if there is a source for good "clean" water. Is, there any follow up information on the individuals who work in these environments, and then leave? By the way, where, how, do old aircraft get recycled? Can we learn anything from this? Some of the verbal dialog concerning certain issues seemed to be "off the hip," rather than totally factual. I liked the comment from the one shipbreaker who said that without the recycling business, vessels would have to be taken to sea and sunk in designated areas. Quite frankly, I think there is too much money involved in the business to let this happen. |
| ||
| The video is very good, especially in paying attention to what drives people in the third world to accept this kind of work and thus it balances the "blaming" approach found in some quarters. The attention paid to the fact that the world is facing a growing problem since more and more ships will have to be demolished, in the coming years, is important. Even in discussions in tecchnical working groups between "specialists" many do not have the broad overview of the challenge we are facing and that the world has to invest in facilities and in a financial mechanism to demolish ships in a proper way! I will hand the video to our Minister of Environment, and may show it in Parliament if hearings are scheduled. |
| ||
| Guess you found the article by now about the ship I used to sail which was published in Forbes Magazine (Sept. 1998). I was not the captain who made the final voyage to India, but my chief officer. I did not want to make the journey, as the emotional ties to the vessel were too strong. One note about the process after arrival. I had explained to the corporate heads that it was a disturbing experience to run the vessel aground with the "last bell" for an engine command. It is against all natural instincts, after a career at sea to purposely beach a vessel. Apparently they took my recommendations to heart; as the vessel anchored at Alang, a wrecking crew was put aboard to do the deed. |
