First-ever South Korean ship enters Bangladesh for green recycling

In a groundbreaking development, South Korea-based maritime transport company, H-Line Shipping, recently sent a large scrap ship to SN Corporation's shipyard in Sitakunda, Chattogram under its first green recycling initiative.

This marks the first occasion that a South Korean vessel has entered a green shipyard in the country which, GMS – one of the world's leading ship buyers for recycling – says, has set an encouraging precedent for shipowners in Japan and South Korea.

A "green yard" refers to a yard that is compliant with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Guidelines for Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling under the Hong Kong Convention (HKC).

"The pioneering steps taken by H-Line Shipping and their confidence in choosing HKC-compliant facilities in Bangladesh will undoubtedly inspire other prominent ship owners from Japan and South Korea to follow suit. As leaders in the maritime industry embrace sustainable ship recycling practices, the positive impact on the environment and the global shipping sector as a whole will be substantial," states GSM.

H-Line Shipping Co Ltd, known for its marine transportation services, including cargo and freight transportation, has also ventured into ship sales and chartering vessel services.

On the other hand, SN Corporation, situated on a 13-acre plot of land in Sitakunda, Chattogram, SN Corporation currently employs over 300 people and produces an average of 90,000-100,000 tonnes of scrap materials per year through dismantling vessels.

The company has undergone a rigorous certification process by the Japanese ship classification society, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), to ensure compliance with the strict procedural and performance standards mandated by the Hong Kong Convention.

SN Corporation's shipyard features various essential elements that enhance operational efficiency and safety. The impermeable concrete floor facilitates the containment and cleanup of fluids like oil, bilge water, and chemicals while ensuring proper collection and disposal of rust particles, paint chips, and dust.

The cutting processes are made more efficient with the support of crawler cranes capable of handling weights of 100-150 tonnes, eliminating the need for manual lifting of heavy steel blocks.

Additionally, magnetic cranes and pick-and-carry trucks optimise steel plate movement.

Safety measures include a barge-mounted crane with a 40-tonne capacity, minimising contact with the intertidal zone, and improving operational safety. The yard is equipped with 75-tonne capacity winches, advanced fire-fighting arrangements, and a dedicated HSE team of experienced mariners.

Hazardous materials are segregated and stored separately within the yard, and an asbestos decontamination unit is utilised when necessary.

The yard also provides essential facilities such as a workers' canteen, drinking water, and first aid measures, all in accordance with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standards for worker accommodation. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is supplied, and an in-house training facility accommodates up to 50 workers at a time, promoting continuous skill development.

Barkat Ullah, CEO of SN Corporation, expressed his satisfaction with the selection of their yard by H-Line Shipping, saying, "We have achieved this by following rigorous processes and adhering to environment-friendly standards. That H-Line Shipping has selected us for the recycling of its ship is good news for the industry amid the current hard times."

The shipbreaking sector, which originated in the 1980s, was officially recognised as an industry in 2011. However, due to concerns about toxic chemicals spreading in the sea during the cutting process of scrap ships, the land in seven mouzas of Sitakunda was designated as an industrial zone. Presently, out of the 160 shipyards in this zone, only 20-22 remain operational, resulting in significant job losses for approximately 100,000 people in the related linkage sector, including shipbreaking yards, steel factories, and oxygen plants.

Bangladesh recently ratified the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, becoming the 21st state to do so voluntarily.

As part of the preparation for ratifying the convention, Bangladesh has been actively improving workplace safety and hazardous material handling in its shipbreaking yards, aiming to make its yards more sustainable and appealing to customers worldwide.

In 2017, PHP Ship Breaking and Recycling Industries Limited became the first yard to comply with the HKC convention and successfully dismantled the first green non-hazardous ship, Victoria, in April 2018. Following this achievement, SN Corporation and Kabir shipbreaking yards have also obtained green certifications.