What is ship breaking
Ship breaking is the term given to the breaking up of ship vessels for the purpose of recycling. Ship breaking is known widely as ship demolition and is practiced in almost every jurisdiction in ship yards. Ship breaking is of relevance to ship owners where the vessel owner wishes for the ship to be disposed off and as such it is important to understand the activity of ship breaking.
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Ship breaking explained
As mentioned, ship breaking is the effective and structured disposal of a ship and takes place in a shipyard by professional ship breaking professionals. Typically, ship breaking or ship disposal is required at the end of a ships natural lifespan which, depending on the activity of the ship, can last for around 4 decades.
Ships can undergo regular repair, maintenance and surveys to ensure they are seaworthy and certifiable for navigating international waters, however it may be more costly for the ship owner to keep repairing the ship in the long term than to simply enlist ship breaking services and recycle the parts for alternative use. The most popular material that is commonly reused form a ship after ship breaking occurs is steel however, the equipment built into a ship that is still in working order can also be recycled for future use.
The most common form of ship breaking is “green ship recycling” in approved facilities for the task of ship disposal.
Although ship breaking is considered a necessary duty for the disposal of ships once the vessels life time comes to an end, the actual act of ship breaking poses numerous environmental and health and safety concerns for both the surrounding environment and the workers.
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