Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) is encouraging the growth of the ship recycling industry in the country to comply with the international safety and environmental standards under the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009.
MARINA Administrator Emerson Lorenzo has underscored the importance for the Philippines to receive the International Maritime Organization (IMO) capacity building program.
“If the government will implement the ship retirement program covering ships 31 years old and above under RA 9295, there are around 384 domestic ships of different sizes plying the domestic trade projected to be retired,” said Lorenzo.
“Still to be considered are foreign registered ships that have reached the end of their operating lives. If the Philippines so decides to become a ship recycling country, this is the number of ships projected to undergo ship recycling,” Lorenzo added.
He stressed the importance of preparing and implementing a national action plan to address some concerns leading to the ratification of this Convention,” Lorenzo added.
Earlier, MARINA has hosted a three-day “National Workshop on the Growth of an International Ship Recycling Industry in the Philippines Based on Compliance to International Safety and Environmental Standards” held at the Casa Marinero, Intramuros, Manila.
The workshop had 12 resource speakers of which nine came from various countries and three from Manila.
The nine international experts came from the IMO, International Labor Organization (ILO), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), Prime Ministry of the Republic of Turkey and from the business sector group such as Global Marketing Systems, Inc., RWEC Environmental Consulting (UK), Overseas Business Group (Japan Marine Science, Inc.), and Green Ship-Recycling Services (Germany).
The Philippines had requested IMO’s Technical Cooperation Division to arrange a national workshop within the context of IMO’s policy of assisting member-states in their preparation for the ratification and implementation of the Hong Kong Convention.
In 2009, the IMO adopted a resolution that called on the development of an instrument, legally binding throughout the world, to effectively address the environmental, occupational health and safety risks related to ship recycling, taking into account the particular characteristics of maritime transport and the need to secure the smooth withdrawal of ships that have reached the end of their operating lives.
Source: Manila Bulletin
