Shipping news website Lloyds List today reported on Turkey and China’s apparent abuse of asbestos in shipping materials:

“Turkish and Chinese yards allegedly continue to use the mineral despite 2002 ban”

Since 2002 the use of asbestos in any materials on board ships has been banned. However, asbestos has been found in 64 out of 70 surveys held in Turkish and Chinese yards according to Lloyds list. This is common among products built earlier than 2000, but shockingly it has also been found on some new builds. The article further claimed that assurances of the absence of asbestos on board are often accepted outright by classification societies.

Lloyds List report that in an argument over asbestos found in a new build ship in Turkey: “the yard suggested that its client had procured the parts itself, and insisted that it carefully checks any parts it purchases. Essberger counters that while it procured the vessel’s engines, the yard was responsible for the purchase of the components in question, which appear to be of Turkish provenance”

If the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009 comes into force then this will soon be clamped down, and shipping standards organisations will require proof of the ships lack of hazardous materials. All vessels will, under such law, be required to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM), also known as a ‘Green Passport’. This will certify that no such hazards, including asbestos, are present. Benefits of such a scheme include an assurance of the safety of everyone present on the ship, as well as providing extra safety information for the workers who dismantle ships once they are ready for recycling.

The Green Passport system will allow specialists (Lucion marine) to safely assess the vessel for hazardous materials. It is hoped that the IHM will be enforced on both old and new ships and will remain with the ship for its life span. This will provide all ship owners with proof that there is no asbestos on board their vessel, should anyone try to claim otherwise.

For more information on the dangers of asbestos and how it can be managed safely, click here.

Lucion Marine is a U.K based, international company that is highly trained and (UKAS accredited?) in the production of Green Passports for ships worldwide. For more information on how Lucion Marine can assist your business, click here.

Further information on up to date legislation regarding the treatment of hazardous materials on ships can be found at the IMO’s (international Marine Organisation) website: http://www.imo.org/

References:

http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/sector/ship-operations/article171747.ece

http://www.lloydslist.com/ll/sector/ship-operations/article173416.ece