Environmental, human and labour rights organisations denounce Polish government-owned shipping company POLSTEAM for its poor shipbreaking practices and call upon POLSTEAM to take the necessary action concerning its ship recycling practices as a matter of urgency.
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform and the European Environmental Bureau, and the more than 160 environmental, human and labour rights organisations they represent, together with Polish NGOs Fundacja Instytut na rzecz Ekorozwoju and Towarzystwo na Rzecz Ziemi, have sent a letter to POLSTEAM asking the company, and the government, to change its practices.
“As an EU Member State owned shipping company, POLSTEAM should set an example and adhere to a ship recycling policy that is in line with EU standards and legislation. It is a disgrace to have a Polish state owned company listed amongst the top dumpers of toxic end-of-life ships on the beaches of developing countries,” said Patrizia Heidegger, Executive Director of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform.
Whilst new European Union legislation clearly disqualifies shipbreaking on tidal beaches as environmentally sound and safe and more ship owners join the group of those that do not want to be associated with dangerous and polluting practices, POLSTEAM has already this year sold three end-of-life vessels to South Asian beaching yards. The bulk carriers ARMIA LUDOWA and POLSKA WALCZACA were sold to Bangladesh breakers where shipbreaking is globally acknowledged not to respect even minimum human rights and environmental standards.
“Yet another gas cylinder explosion severely injured at least eight workers in Chittagong this weekend. I am wondering how many more accidents we have to document before the authorities in Bangladesh decide to hold a yard manager accountable for putting peoples’ lives in danger – and for how long European ship owners, such as POLSTEAM, still want to profit from this dirty business?” said Patrizia Heidegger.
POLSTEAM is undergoing a fleet replacement and investment programme for the years 2015 to 2020 and still owns at least 15 vessels built in the 1990s that are likely candidates for scrapping in the next couple of years.
“The NGO Shipbreaking Platform has constructively consulted with many responsible owners of vessels and has together with these companies identified sustainable solutions for clean and safe ship recycling. We would be glad to exchange with POLSTEAM about available solutions. Poland has lots of dormant capacity for ship recycling, its laid-down shipbuilding industry could be converted to modern ship recycling facilities ”, said Patrizia Heidegger.
Source: NGO Shipbreaking Platform
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