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How to turn old ships into new resources? What is the magic of ship dismantling?
In the depths of the ocean, many old ships no longer carry human dreams and adventures. Their service life is approximately 25 to 30 years. As time goes by, metal fatigue accumulates and parts are scarce, the operating costs of these ships become higher and higher, and eventually they reach the crossroads of "ship scrapping". This is not only a simple elimination process, but also a reuse of resources and effective recovery of energy. The concept of green economy has been deepened during the ship dismantling process, especially today when the world pays more and more attention to sustainable development.
Ship dismantling enables the recovery of large quantities of important materials such as steel, which not only reduces the demand for mined iron ore but also saves energy use in the steel production process.
Ship scrapping as an industry has a long history. As early as the Renaissance, wooden ships were often dismantled by setting them on fire or sinking them on the spot. But with the rise of metal ships, dismantling techniques have become increasingly complex and specialized.
Modern processes for ship dismantling
Modern ship dismantling is usually divided into two categories: "beach dismantling" in developing countries and "dry ship dismantling" in developed countries. The two are slightly different in details, but the basic processes are similar, both based on safety and environmental protection. Taking the Alang ship dismantling yard in India as an example, before dismantling, workers will conduct various inspections, obtain necessary permits, and remove hazardous substances, including fuel and lubricants that can easily cause environmental pollution. substance.
Recycled steel resources cover 20% of domestic demand in Bangladesh, while in India it is close to 10%.
In developing countries, ships will sail into the beach during the tide. Although this "beach dismantling" method saves a lot of energy consumption, it requires extremely high driving skills. As for in developed countries, dismantling work pays more attention to environmental protection, using specially designed facilities to process hazardous materials to achieve a recycling rate of nearly 98%.
The current status of the dismantling market
According to the report, with changes in the global industry, the main concentration of ship dismantling has gradually moved to Asia. According to 2020 data, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan became the world's largest ship dismantling countries.
In 2012, approximately 1,250 ships were scrapped around the world, with an average age of 26 years, demonstrating the potential for secondary use in the industry.
However, the industry also faces challenges from cheap labor and inadequate environmental regulations. While pursuing profits, many businesses often neglect the safety of workers and environmental protection, which has also aroused concern and discussion from the international community.
Law and regulation of ship scrapping
The 1994 Basel Convention, as the first international law to implement environmental management of the ship dismantling industry, is committed to restricting the cross-border movement of hazardous wastes, which has promoted the development of environmentally friendly dismantling to a certain extent. However, the Convention’s loopholes cannot be ignored, especially in the areas of work safety and cross-border coordination.
Subsequently, the 2009 Hong Kong Convention was proposed to establish safety and environmental protection requirements for ship operations and recycling processes. This means that during the dismantling process, not only the reuse of materials must be considered, but also the protection of the environment and worker health must be considered.
Future Outlook
The ship dismantling industry will continue to evolve in the future on the wave of sustainable development. With the global emphasis on reducing marine pollution and resource recycling, market demand will promote technological innovation and diversified development in this industry. From sea to shore, what's the real magic in transforming old ships into new resources?
