Latest News

16-03-2006
Draft IMO Treaty called "shockingly inadequate" in addressing global ship scrap crisis. Would allow "Clemenceaus" to be exported on a daily basis. Read the full press release (pdf).

Another VICTORY!
Bangladeshi government does net let toxic SS Norway enter its waters

Greenpeace and the European NGO Platform on shipbreaking celebrate a further victory in the battle to prevent toxic end-of-life ships being sent to developing countries for shipbreaking. Following the French government's decision to take back the asbestos laden ex-aircraft carrier Clemenceau, the Banglashi Minister of Environment announced February 16th that his government will not let another notoriously contaminated ship, the SS Norway, enter his country's waters before it has been fully decontaminated. Read the full news story here.

VICTORY! Justice for the environment
as French Government takes back the Clemenceau

Paris, 15 February, 2006 -- Greenpeace today celebrated President Jacques Chirac's decision to call back the decommissioned toxic aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau, to France from its journey to the ship-breaking yards in Alang, India. More....

Indian Supreme Court: Clemenceau NOT allowed in Indian waters

Egypt/India 16 January, 2006 - The Indian Supreme Court today issued a very important interim ruling, ordering that the French End of Life Ship Clemenceau is not welcome in India. Due to the hundreds of tons of asbestos onboard, importing the Clemenceau would be a serious violation of the Basel Convention. On 13 February the Supreme Court will issue a final ruling. Until that time the Clemenceau has to stay out of Indian waters. More...

Greenpeace stops Clemenceau leaving European territory

Cairo, Egypt 12 January, 2006 - Greenpeace activists have intercepted and boarded the French aircraft carrier CLEMENCEAU, raising the stakes in the international row over the decommissioning of the Clemenceau, which has been sent to India for decommissioning despite widespread outrage at the high levels of asbestos and other hazardous materials it contains. More...

INDIAN AUTHORITIES BRAND "CLEMENCEAU" ILLEGAL TRANSPORT

Paris, France, 6 January 2006 - Today the Indian Supreme Court Monitoring Committee (SCMC) branded the French naval aircraft carrier, the Clemenceau, which is being towed to India for scrapping, as an illegal transport due to the hazardous materials, including 500 tonnes of asbestos, on board. Greenpeace demanded that the French Government take back its ship and for India formally reject its entry into Indian Territory. More....

London, July 22, 2005 - Delegates attending meetings (1) this month at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have agreed to move ahead and create a new legally binding instrument - probably a new treaty - to deal with the scrapping of obsolete vessels. Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN), however, have denounced the proposed treaty, as currently envisaged, for placing the burden of hazardous waste on developing countries, and for providing provisions far weaker than the existing and already into force United Nations Environment Program's Basel Convention (2) which also governs the movement and disposal of obsolete ships. More...

Green groups expose regulatory failures: no more ships for scrap to India or Bangladesh.

Geneva/New Delhi, July 9, 2005 - In a clear shift from their earlier position demanding 'Clean Shipbreaking', environmental and labour groups including Greenpeace, Basel Action Network (BAN) and CITU, today stated for the first time that India can no longer be considered a destination for any ship-recycling operations, now or in the foreseeable future, due to its blatant disregard for the environment, human rights, and international law. Bangladesh shipbreaking yards were likewise condemned as being no better, and at times, even worse. Worker mortality has been estimated at one death per day; either the slow death resulting from exposure to a cocktail of deadly chemicals or due to the common explosions caused by the torching of residual fuels from uncleaned vessels. More...

Protest against shipbreaking yard in Kakinada increases

Amsterdam, July 12, 2005 - The UN Human Rights Commission issued a report in Februari 2005 based on the mission of the Special Rapporteur in March 2004 in Turkey. The report is on the adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, including effects of shipbreaking in Turkey. The Special Rapporteur notes with concern the different attempts at illegal transfers of waste and dangerous products to Turkey. She condemns such actions, and strongly urges the countries of origin to accept the return of the waste and dangerous products. She recommends that that the Secretariat of the Basel Convention continues to assist Turkey in its efforts to find solutions to the cases highlighted in the report. More...

IMO must ensure equivalent of control to the Basel Convention as demanded by EU and the Parties to Basel

Amsterdam , July 12, 2005 - In the run up to Marine Environmental Protection Committee at the International Maritime Organization (between 18-22 July 2005), both the EU and the Basel Convention parties discussed the work program of IMO on shiprecycling and the Joint Working Group. More...

Investments in clean shipbreaking

Amsterdam, July 12, 2005 - Recently it was announced that the funding for a zero pollution shipbreaking yard in The Netherlands is in place. A 64 million euro yard will be built in Eemshaven, in the north of Netherlands. The proposed dry-dock facility anticipates the dismantling of ships, platforms and other maritime vessels from 2007 on. More...

Toxic Ship 'Riky' to be "mercilessly driven out"
Green Groups call on Danish and Indian Governments to follow SCMC directives immediately

New Delhi, 30 May, 2005 - Environmental groups and labour unions, both Indian and international, have welcomed the unprecedented, highly progressivere commendation by the Chairman of the Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on hazardous waste (SCMC) that the Danish ferry "RIKY" should be sent back to its source country. In an unequivocal message to the Chairperson of the Gujarat Pollution Control Board, Dr. G. Thyagarajan has taken a strong view of the illegal beaching of the "Riky", and instructed the GPCB that "Riky must be mercilessly driven out of Indian sovereign territory without any further loss of time.'' He has also asked for a high-level investigation into this matter. More...

ACT NOW: Save Kakinada Beach in India from dirty shipbreaking

The beautiful beach of Kakinada (India) may soon turn into a scrapyard for old, toxic ships, threatening the lives of local people and the nearby Coringa nature reserve. Kakinada fishing families need your help to save Kakinada beach. Let the President of Andra Pradesh and the European Union know they should protect nature and the livelihood of Kakinada families. More...

Greenpeace urges EU transport ministers to come clean on toxic tankers

Brussels/Luxembourg - Greenpeace presented EU transport ministers with a 'message in a bottle' at the entrance to the European Conference Centre building in Luxembourg before the start of the Transport Council meeting on Thursday 21 April. The bottle contained rusty remnants of the Greek-owned oil tanker 'Amina' that exploded in 2003 at a shipbreaking yard in India, killing nine workers and causing serious injuries to others. More...

Denmark Asks India to Return Illegal Toxic Ship "Kong Frederik IX"
Coalition of Labor and Environmental groups Call on India to Comply at Once

19 April, 2005 - The Danish environmental minister, Connie Hedegaard, has sent a fax letterto her counterpart, the Indian environment minister Mr. A. Raja, warning him that a toxic ship-for-scrap carrying carcinogenic asbestos insulation, is expected to arrive in India this week. The ferry ship Kong Frederik IX (now known as Frederik) left Denmark on March 16, 2005, and is headed to Alang for breaking. The fugitive ship is likely to arrive in India by 20 April, 2005. More...

Ships on the loose: out of sight - out of mind

Amsterdam, Valetta, 14 April 2005 - A week after the global ban on single hull oil tankers there are still such ships that operate outside the law on seas worldwide. As a matter of fact, nobody knows how many of these should be out of waters as of 5th April 2005 - neither the industry, nor the authorities (1). Most of these so-called 'end-of-life ships' will be heading to Asia and Turkey to be scrapped, causing human and environmental catastrophe. Greenpeace is calling on the European Union to end the lack of transparency in shipping and to develop a definitive and consolidated list of single-hull oil tankers that are subject to the phase-out regulations. More...

French asbestos victims against selling SS Norway for scrap: don't let it happen again in Asia!

Amsterdam, March 15, 2005 - The Greenpeace Top 50 ship SS Norway is the cause of a historical new case of international solidarity awakening in France. Workers who once built the famous cruiseship (the former SS France) in St.-Nazaire in France in 1960, are worried by the asbestos risks for the Asian workers when dismantling the ship. The French workers don't want to expose the Asian workers on shipbreaking yards to the risks that they were exposed to when building the ship. More...

Help us find the illegally exported Canadian end-of-life ship Ferbec (now named Michalakis)

Toronto, Amsterdam, March 15, 2005 - Greenpeace calls for your help to find the end-of-life ship Michalakis, heading for an unknown shipbreaking yard. The vessel, until recently known as the Ferbec, is presently on its way to a shipbreaking yard in South Asia after having left the Port of Montreal without prior notification to government officals as required under international law. The ship was sold by Canada Steamship Line (CSL), a company owned by the sons of Canadian prime minister Paul Martin. Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network demanded that the federal government do everything in its power to have the recently owned CSL ship "Ferbec" returned to a Canadian port. The vessel is laden with hazardous materials such as asbestos and PCBs. More...

THE BIG BREAK: Canadian documentary on shipbreaking

Amsterdam, March 15, 2005 - The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's The Fifth Estate recently aired the documentary "The BIG BREAK", showing the effects of shipbreaking. On the beaches of Alang, India, thousand of workers risk their lives for mere pennies a day dismantling the world's ships, including Canada's. It's some of the most dangerous work in the world, done in the name of profit for shipping companies, where it's cheaper than a certified facility in their own backyard. Read more on the story of "The BIG BREAK"

Oil tanker Fjord Champion after the fire

Amsterdam, March 15, 2005 - Last week the Norwegian flagged and owned single hull oil tanker Fjord Champion caught fire off the southern coast of Norway while making one of its last legal trips. As from the 5th of April 2005 international legislation will come into force banning single hull oil tankers from European waters. Greenpeace calls upon the owners of the Fjord Champion and the Norwegian environmental minister to take their responsibilities and to fulfill their legal obligations to decommission the ship under the provision of the Basel Convention.Read more on Europe banning single hull oil tankers.

Industry scuttles progress on safe ship disposal

Amsterdam, London, 17 February 2005 -Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN) condemned the special joint United Nations meeting on shipbreaking as an utter failure today. The meeting was hijacked by the shipping industry interests throughout, blocking any attempts to clean up the practice of exporting toxic laden vessels to Asia, risking the health of workers and the environment. Attempts to ensure coordination build on existing international law and find practical solutions also failed. More..

Report "The Ship Recycling Fund" shows clean shipbreaking can be done profitably

Amsterdam, London, 15 February 2005 - Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN) have denounced the shipping industry for trying to run away from the Basel Convention's landmark rules that curb the export and dumping of toxic waste, as government and industry meet in a special joint United Nations(1) meeting to address the scandalous practice of exporting toxic-laden obsolete ships to developing countries such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. More ...

Massive tanker phase-out threatens new environmental disaster

Brussels, 8 December 2004 - A new analysis by Greenpeace warns of serious environmental contamination of Asian beaches as a result of a global phase-out of single-hull oil tankers. Greenpeace is calling on the European Union, which is responsible for one-third of such tankers, to take urgent action to protect human health and the environment in the world's shipbreaking yards. The EU and then the International Maritime Organisation moved to phase out single-hull oil tankers in the wake of the Erika and Prestige disasters. According to the Greenpeace analysis, 'Destination Unknown: European single hull oil tankers... No place to go', over 2,000 such tankers will be removed from the water and scrapped within five years. Some 1,120 will need to be scrapped in the next 13 months, a figure that dwarfs previous estimates. More...

End of ship for scrap Sandrien marks beginning of a worldwide solution

8 november 2004 - Today, in the port of Amsterdam, the scrapping will start of the chemical tanker the Sandrien. The Dutch ministries responsible for environment and transport together with the city of Amsterdam commissioned the scrapping of the tanker. After several court procedures the Council of State in the Netherlands ruled in June 2002 that the end-of-life vessel the Sandrien should be classified as (hazardous) waste. It was the first ever legal recognition that a ship containing asbestos must be treated as hazardous waste. Greenpeace continues campaigning to make ship owners pay for the clean breaking of their own sea vessels. More ...

Obsolete toxic ship dumping to be controlled

29 October 2004 - The global trade in toxic ships for scrap was dealt a serious blow today in Geneva when the Basel Convention affirmed that ships can be considered toxic waste under International law and that its 163 signatories must control the export of ships under the terms of the Convention. Greenpeace and Basel Action Network (BAN) described the decision as a major victory. More...

8 october 2004 - A coalition of the several local and international organisations and scientists, backed by thousands of concerned citizens worldwide, managed to stop a proposed shipbreaking project on the beautiful Bolama beach in Guinea Bissau (West Africa). The beach is part of the Bijagos Archipelagos, classified as a Biosphere Reserve by United Nations (Unesco). The contract on shipbreaking that had been signed by the Spanish company "DDY de commercio exterior SA" and the government of Guinea Bissau has now expired! More...

New EU report confirms the need for clean breaking of thousands of oil tankers

8 october 2004 - A new EU report on the phasing out and scrapping of single hull oil tankers concludes that 2200 oil tankers will have to be scrapped after the end of their commercial life by the year 2010. At the same time there is nowhere near enough clean scrap capacity available. Immediate action is needed to make sure that all these ships don't end up on dirty shipbreaking beaches around the world. There is no time to wait, 'no time to waste'. More...

IMO and Basel Convention to discuss Flag State responsibility for shipbreaking

8 october 2004 - Next week, the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 52) will further discuss the issue of shipbreaking. The most important matter will be the mandatory regime items. Greenpeace understands that the shipping industry agrees in principle that some items (like the gas free certification) should become mandatory. It could be a breakthrough if the parties to IMO finally agree to start working on such mandatory regime items. More...

Breakthrough: Maltese ministers acknowledge responsibility for breaking of Maltese flagged ships

8 october 2004 - Last week Malta, the worlds second largest exporter of toxic end-of-life ships, seemed to accept responsibility for the scrapping of Maltese flagged ships. An international delegation of Greenpeace visited the country, which became a new EU member this year. The little island in the Mediterranean controls the fifth largest fleet in the world. Malta can therefore play a key role in pushing for a solution in the EU on the problems of shipbreaking. More...

New shipbreaking documentary on National Geographic Channel

8 october 2004 - National Geographic Channel is broadcasting a new documentary on shipbreaking called "Cheating death: shipwreckers". The documentary brings to life the human catastrophe in shipbreaking. It shows the every day life of Indian shipbreakers at the largest shipbreaking beach of the world, Alang. More..

Malta: salvage your reputation as maritime nation and become a world leader in clean ship breaking!

September 28th 2004, Balzan, Malta - Greenpeace today called the Maltese Government to bring an immediate end to Maltese flagged toxic ships being sent to Asia for breaking. In a press conference, Greenpeace detailed Malta's role in the scandal of toxic ship breaking in Asia which is devastating local environments and killing workers. Greenpeace called upon Malta to salvage its reputation as maritime nation and become a world leader in clean ship breaking. More...

Toxic French navy vessel sent to India

30 June 2004 - The French Ministry of Defence announced that the laid-off French aircraft carrier Clemenceau will be sent to India to be scrapped, still containing hazardous materials including asbestos. Last year states like Turkey and Greece refused the Clemenceau entry in their waters forcing the French authorities to take the ship back. Greenpeace now calls on the Indian government to prevent the deemed illegal export of the Clemenceau. Read our letter to the Indian government.

Links:
- Read the: story of the Clemenceau.

Tragic incident on Panama flagged scrapship

24 June 2004 - A tragic incident on the LPG Carrier Gaz Med killed one person and exposed thousands of people in Chittagong (Bangladesh) to serious health risks. Gas leaking from a tank on the Panama flagged ship caused the release of toxic fumes on the shipbreaking beach on the 7th of June 2004. Accidents like this show that the voluntary IMO Guidelines on Shiprecycling are inadequate. Greenpeace asked the President of Panama, Martin Torrijos, what he is going to do to prevent accidents like this to happen again. Read our letter to Panama's President.

Links:
- Read more on the IMO guidelines

Bangladeshi shipbreakers victims of explosions

(Source: Dhaka, XINHUA GENERAL NEWS SERVICE March 8, 2004) - "Some 150 people died and 576 others were crippled in explosion accidents at the ship-breaking yards in southeast Bangladesh in the last decade. This was revealed by a recent survey on shipbreaking industry of the country by a non-governmental organization Young Power in Social Action (YPSA). The report identified poor safety systems, use of old methods in cutting giant ships, and lack of precautionary measures as the main reasons for explosions in the factories.... " More...

IMO's next steps on ship recycling

8 april 2004 - Last week the Marine Environmental Protection Committee 51 (MEPC) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) discussed the outstanding issues in relation to the Guidelines on Shiprecycling that were adopted at IMO's General Assembly in December 2003. Greenpeace was present as observer at this meeting. In short we present the most important issues. More...

Breaking British end-of-life-vessels in Britain

London, 23 march 2004 - After the much criticised arrival of four ghosts (MARAD) ships to the United Kingdom Greenpeace, the British Labour Union GMB and Labour MP Peter Mandelson formed a joint alliance to change the current practices in shipbreaking. The aim of their project is to ensure that British shipowners will recycle their ships in state-of-the-art facilities in Britain or a similar state-of-the-art facilities in the European Union. More...

8 april 2004 - A recent court decision by the second Administrative Court of Izmir (Turkey) confirmed that the import of scrap ships containing asbestos and other hazardous materials to Turkey, is illegal. The decision of the court confirms earlier decisions by courts in India, Belgium and the Netherlands that the Basel Convention applies to the export of end-of-life-ships as it does to the export of any other kind of hazardous waste. More...

UN International Maritime Organisation fails to heed warnings: ship breaking will continue to cause pollution and death

London, 5 December 2003 - The UN International Maritime Organisation (IMO) failed to protect people and the oceans from bad shipping practices today. Although guidelines on ship recycling were adopted, they are only voluntary so the shipping industry can continue exporting toxic ships for scrap and avoid proper regulation. More...

The report "Playing hide and seek" lists an overview of the top 20 polluters and an overview of the Flags of Convenience used for the final voyage of a ship to the breaking yard. It also shows that ship owners are not taking the measures necessary to avoid pollution and to save lives, as promoted by the voluntary Code of Practice.

Indian authorities allow illegal removal asbestos from Genova Bridge; Greenpeace steps up campaign for mandatory guidelines at the IMO

Alang/Ahmedabad/New Delhi, November 26, 2003 - Greenpeace today criticised Gujarat Pollution Control Board 's (GPCB) directive to Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to remove asbestos and other hazardous waste on board Genova Bridge and store it at a landfill in the hinterlands of Gujarat as illegal and irresponsible because it does not address the illegality of the import of this hazardous waste. More...

Rainbow Warrior visits Indian shipbreaking yards: read Evediens' on-board weblog

The Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior is in India to visit the shipbreaking yards, to monitor environmental pollution and to confront ship-owners. Ship-owners and shipping companies make huge profits from ships but do not invest a single penny in ensuring clean recycling of ships. Instead they export their toxic legacy and liabilities to ship breakers and ship breaking countries.

Evedien from the Netherlands is on board. Read her day-to-day weblog…

India and Turkey want IMO to set up mandatory regime for shipbreaking

London, November 26, 2003 - At the General Assembly of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Turkey and India showed leadership by calling for mandatory measures from the IMO on shipbreaking. Both countries have recently been confronted with various cases in which ships containing hazardous substances arrived at their repective national territiories. The proposal will be negotiated further at the IMO's Assembly meeting the coming days. More...

Greenpeace calls on future Prime Minister Canada to come clean on Toxic Ship

Toronto, November 25, 2003 - Greenpeace today released a report calling on the future Prime Minister of Canada Paul Martin to "come clean" on the international trade in toxic ships. The environmental group documented the 2002 export of the Canada Steamship Lines (CSL) ship, "The Manitoulin," to a shipbreaking yard in Turkey, in possible violation of international regulations on the trade in hazardous waste. At the time of the export, Paul Martin was the owner of CSL. More...

UN maritime organisation backs away from expulsion Greenpeace

London, November 21 2003 - The International Maritime Organisation, which was considering expulsion of Greenpeace for "unsafe seamanship" has accepted Greenpeace's arguments and bowed to pressure from cyberactivists the world over -- Greenpeace will continue to speak for the oceans in a body dominated by the interests of the oil and shipping industries. More...

Greenpeace calls on UK owner of Genova Bridge to bear the cost of detoxifying ship

Greenpeace has called upon "V Ships Commercial", the UK owner of Genova Bridge to submit toxic inventory of the ship to the Indian authorities immediately and make arrangements to remove and re-import the hazardous waste from the ship to United Kingdom. Greenpeace hails the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forest's directive to Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) to inspect Genova Bridge for toxic substances following a Greenpeace alert. More...

Read live updates from the Rainbow Warrior's voyage in India in the crew weblog from the Rainbow Warrior.

British Government guilty of hypocrisy over toxic ships - Royal Naval vessel HMS Intrepid to be scrapped with no environmental safeguards.

The British Government was condemned for operating a double standard over the breaking of naval ships in Britain. The Government and Environment Agency acted quickly to stop the breaking of the so-called 'ghost ships' from the US while simultaneously exporting old Royal Naval vessels abroad to be broken under appalling conditions. Currently HMS Intrepid - an amphibious landing vessel - is berthed at Portsmouth awaiting export to an overseas breakers yard, believed to be in Turkey. HMS Intrepid contains 40 tonnes of asbestos as well as PCBs, lead and heavy fuel oil. Read more...

Alang, India 12th November 2003 - As the British government continues to refuse permits for scrapping the first of the controversial US navy "ghost ships" which arrive in the UK today, Greenpeace has uncovered British vessels being shipped to India - contravening international agreements and in breach of national laws in India. While controversy rages in Europe over the now infamous "ghost ships", Britain and other European countries are quietly transporting their waste ships to developing countries - in breach of the Basel Convention. More...

Rainbow Warrior on "Toxic Patrol" in India
Greenpeace is the voice of 100.000 workers in the worlds shipbreaking yards

12 november 2003 - The Greenpeace sailing vessel Rainbow Warrior is currently anchored off the coast of Alang, India. Alang is the site of the world's largest shipbreaking yard. Greenpeace is planning to conduct "toxic patrols" of ships who are here waiting for scrapping. A team of experts will do a survey and take samples to determine what type of toxic materials are on board before the ships are beached and the actual scrapping starts. Shipbreaking is an enormous danger to people and the environment. Greenpeace is the only organization in the world fighting for the people working in this industry and for the environment they live in. This makes Greenpeace the voice of 100.000 people. More...

Fate of Clemenceau still unclear, France needs to decontaminate this ship.

The laid-off French aircraft carrier Clemenceau is still under tow in the Mediterranean. The fate and final destination of the ship remains unclear. There is still a possibility that the ship will eventually end up in an Asian shipbreaking yard. The latest reports on Clemenceau make it clear that the French authorities (Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Finance) have taken control of the ship. However, the French government was unable to give any indications of the ship's destination. Rumours abide that the vessel is destined for a French port on the Atlantic coast. More...

Breakthrough! Basel Convention recognises end-of-life-ships as waste

7 november l 2003 - An important breakthrough was reached during the latest Basel Convention: end-of-life ships are finally considered as waste. Greenpeace welcomes this decision as a major step towards solving the environmental and social problems on the breaking of ships. At the conference in Geneva, Greenpeace presented a "Symbol of Shame" to each delegation. These small ship shaped pieces of metal from the scrapship Amina (see image above) recalled the lack of clarity so far given to this issue by the Basel Convention. . More...

Environment Ministers call for stricter enforcement of EU waste shipment rules

7 november l 2003 - On Monday October 27th the EU Environment Council met in Luxembourg. At this meeting the Belgian Minister for Environment called the attention of the Council to the ongoing export of end-of-life-vessels and the environmental pollution associated with the current practice of breaking such ships. The call got full support from the Council. The Environment Ministers recognised there is a clear role for Europe in the discussions that take place at (inter)national level to stop the export of toxic ships to Asia. More...

Government Agency in UK denies permission for entry of toxic MARAD warships

7 november l 2003 - Britain's Environment Protection Agency has denied permission for the two American warships to be scrapped at a scrapping yard at Teeside in the United Kingdom. The agency announced that the waste management licence granted to the yard is invalid, which means the ships cannot legally be dismantled on Teeside. The United States Marine Administration (MARAD) sent the Canisteo and Caloosahatchee to the UK as part of a larger deal to scrap fifteen ships. More...

France needs to take its toxic navyship Clemenceau back

7 november l 2003 - The French aircraftcarrier Clemenceau is currently on the Mediterranean Sea waiting after both Greece and Turkey refused the ship entry into their territorial waters. The ship is now turning into a symbol of the failure by European authorities to take responsibility for end-of-life-ships. The Turkish authorities refused entry on the ground that the export of this navyship was in fact export of waste, which was illegal under the Basel Convention. More...

Spot the new ships on the Greenpeace-list

7 november l 2003 - Greenpeace has added new ships to the list of ships that are likely to be sold for scrapping in the near future. Among the ships are Canisteo and Caloosahatchee (two US flagged former Navy ships under way to the UK). Other ships are: Cormo Express, a Netherlands owned cattle carrier, Onda, a Malta flagged oiltanker, and Swiss owned Marine Pacific sailing under a Liberia flag. Already 450 ships have been sent for breaking this year.

See the full overview of the Greenpeace list of ships that are likely to be sent for scrap in the near future.

Greenpeace calls on IMO to decide for a mandatory shipbreaking regime

7 november l 2003 - In a submission for the Annual General Meeting of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Greenpeace signals that the IMO Guidelines on shiprecycling, agreed upon in July 2003, will not at all solve the existing problem of on-going illegal export of waste to Turkey and Asia. Increasingly governments and shipowners discover that the only logical guarantee to prevent environmental pollution is to set up a mandatory international regime that makes shipowners responsible for the clean-up of ships prior to export for breaking. This is again proven by the ongoing saga of the MARAD navy ships on their way to the UK, as well as by the trip without destination of the French navyship Clemenceau. More...

9 october 2003 - This week the United States Marine Administration (MARAD) sent the first two navy ships of its so called 'Ghost Fleet' to be dismantled in the United Kingdom. The two ships, Canisteo and Caloosahatchee, will be towed to the UK as part of a larger deal to scrap fifteen ships. MARAD wants to see hundreds of its old ships based in Virginia to be scrapped by September 30, 2006. The two ships that are now being towed to the North of England contain significant amounts of PCBs, asbestos, oily water and diesel fuel. This makes it a clear case of toxic waste export. More...

Norwegian scrap-ship "Hesperus" still held by Indian authorities at Alang anchorage

After its arrest by the Indian authorities, the vessel "Hesperus" from the Norwegian ship-owner Bergesen is still at Alang anchorage. The Indian government has called on the Norwegian authorities for more clarification on the procedure that was followed in exporting the ship. In addition the authorities have called for a survey of the ship to determine the presence and nature of hazardous substances on board. Bergesen sold the vessel for scrap earlier this year. More...

Greenpeace sends out 'action alert' to environmental inspectors in Europe

Greenpeace sent out an 'action alert' to environmental inspectors from all over Europe, by providing inspectors with a list of 124 end-of-life vessels exported from Europe in 2003 without intervention from national inspectorates. The inspectors gathered for a working conference in Maastricht (Netherlands) from October 6-8th, hosted by the European Union Network for the Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL). Greenpeace called on the inspectors to enforce the current Waste Shipment Regulation regarding the export of end-of-life vessels. More...

26th September, 2003 - Indian customs authorities have denied the Norwegian LPG tanker Hesperus permission to beach for breaking at Alang shipbreaking yard, following an alert raised by Greenpeace. Under the Basel Ban Amendment, which Norway ratified, Norway has agreed to prohibit the export of hazardous wastes from rich to poor countries. Greenpeace wants the harbour and customs authorities to ascertain that there are no hazardous wastes on board before the ship is beached for breaking. This would be a violation of the Basel Convention and the Indian Supreme Court directive that prevents dumping of hazardous waste. Greenpeace also demanded an assurance that the ship was being delivered with gas-free-for-hot-works certification as required by Indian law. More...

ILO seminar on shipbreaking in Turkey

18-19 september 2003 - The last prepatory seminar before the international ILO meeting in Bangkok, took place in Izmir, Turkey. During the ILO meeting in Bangkok, which will take place from 7 - 11 October, the organisation will adopt guidelines on shipbreaking. The seminar was organised in Turkey as a follow-up of actions of Greenpeace last year in Turkey, where Greenpeace requested the ILO and the Turkish trade union to improve labour conditions at the breaking yards in Turkey. More...

United States are planning to send first toxic navy ships to the UK

25 september 2003 - The UK has agreed to a plan of the United States to send toxic old navy ships to a breaking yard in northern England. The Maritime Administration of the US owns hundreds of these old ships and wants to get rid of them as they pose a considerable environmental risk to the waterways. The first two ships of the thirteen to be towed to the UK will still contain 30-40 tons of old fuel. The ships also contain hazardous materials such as asbestos, toxic paints and carcinogenic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The US is breaking US law by leaving PCBs in solid form on board the vessels and exporting it. Furthermore, the fuel oil has not been tested for PCBs. Asbestos will be left on board. More...

Future of Bolama Beach unclear after coup in Guinea-Bissau

14 september 2003 - The army has seized power in Guinea-Bissau. The coup toppled the president, Kumba Yala. The chief of staff of the armed forces, General Verissimo Correia Seabre, declared he had taken the post of interim president because former president Yala had caused "political instability". Mr Yala had recently postponed elections for the fourth time, a move which angered his opponents.

What the consequences this coup will have for the planned shipbreaking yard at the unspoilt coastline of Bolama Beach in Guinea Bissau (West Africa) is now unclear. Greenpeace will closely monitor the situation in Guinea Bissau.

Future of Bolama Beach possibly decided after elections in Guinea-Bissau

It looks like a decision on the planned shipbreaking yard at the unspoilt coastline of Bolama Beach in Guinea Bissau (West Africa) will only be taken after the elections in September 2003.

The Spanish company 'DDY DE COMERCIO EXTERIOR SA' has plans to break old and toxic ships at Bolama Beach. This will put the environment and the lives of the local people at serious risk. More...

IMO Guidelines on ship recycling promote continuation of illegal practice

London, July 18th 2003 - The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) today concluded its five-day meeting in London to address the environmental safety and health problems associated with shipbreaking. Guidelines were adopted by the Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) and recommended for adoption by the IMO Assembly in November. More...

London, July 15th 2003 - After the memorial was presented to the IMO on monday discussions on whether the UN-organisation would accept this gift started. Greenpeace explained to various people in the IMO, amongst others the Secretary-General Mr. O'Neill, that the memorial symbolizes a source of inspiration and motivation for real solutions to prevent environmental pollution and more accidents.The IMO refused to accept the memorial and in doing so made it clear that it really didn't care about everything the memorial stands for. More...

London, July 14th 2003 - Greenpeace today delivered a sculpture, 2 by 5 metres, made from the remains of ships taken from Indian shipbreaking yards to delegates attending the International Maritime Organisation in London. The sculpture was made from the funnels of five old ships, one of which, the Greek owned Amina, exploded in the yard, killing 9 people and causing over a dozen serious injuries. The sculpture serves as a reminder of the human and environmental toll caused by current shipbreaking practices. Greenpeace appeals to IMO to adopt legally binding guidelines on shipbreaking to protect lives and the environment. More...

Amsterdam, 14th July 2003 - European Commissioner for the Environment Wallstrom urged IMO secretary general Mr. O'Neill to give the issue of shipbreaking the highest priority on the IMO meeting this week. In a letter dated 11 July 2003, she shows her serious concern on the un-safe shipbreaking conditions in non-OECD countries. Wallstrom wants the IMO to work in close cooperation with the Basel Convention and the ILO to close loopholes in the international regulation on shipbreaking. The European Commission considers the Basel Convention the framework against which the export of end-of-life ships should be regulated. Read the full text of the letter.

Istanbul, July 11th 2003 - After Greenpeace urged the Turkish authorities, they acted and turned back the possibly hazardous waste containing ship Novocherkassk while it was being towed from Spain to Aliaga shipbreaking yards to be scrapped. More...

Amsterdam, July 10th 2003 - There is a clear split in the international shipping industry over the role and responsibility of shipowners for the pollution and appalling working circumstances related to shipbreaking. The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) declared to be in favour of mandatory measures to resolve the problems concerned with shipbreaking. Individual companies like Ceres, Stolt Nielsen and P&O Nedlloyd already took steps forward on this issue. More...

Call for ban on toxic ships for scrap on EU-building which is being cleaned of asbestos

Brussels, 19th June 2003 - A team of Greenpeace climbed the EU building, 'Berlaymont', and calls the European Union to adopt a mandatory legislation to make sure the shipping industry cleans its ships of hazardous materials before exporting them to Asia for scrap. Several banners reading "Clean toxic ships now" were attached to the Berlaymont while others were placed in front of it. This building has been cleaned of asbestos some time ago. More..

European shipbreaking tour presents terrible impact of current shipbreaking practices

On 2 June 2003, four representatives from shipbreaking yards in India and Bangladesh started a three-week tour through Europe. Their aim: present the impact of the current polluting practices at the breaking yards to shipowners and politicians. Furthermore they seek cooperation in working towards a real solution to these problems. Bells from the shipbreaking yards in Alang, India, accompany them. They remind shipowners of their role in the dramatic effects of breaking ships on Asian beaches. The sound of each bell echoes the calls of the people in Asia for a cleaner environment and safer work. More..

2th June 2003 - Selling ships for shipbreaking is a dirty business. See if you know the tricks of the trade. Play this new webgame by Greenpeace. You are the owner of an old ship and you have to get rid of this End of Life Vessel. Can you make as much profit as possible? Or do you care for the people and the environment? Try to do better than most current shipowners. Click here to play the webgame!

Chemical tanker Tulip (formerly known as Gerd) was beached on a shipbreaking yard in Alang (India) on the 24th of May 2003. Greenpeace strongly suspected the ship had been sold to shipbreakers, but needed proof. Since leaving the harbour of Amsterdam last year, Greenpeace called on shipspotters to spot the chemical tanker and help Greenpeace track the vessel on its final voyage to the shipbreaking beach. All tips received via the mailform on this website resulted in a map which shows the final voyage of the Tulip. Greenpeace investigates further steps to hold the owner of the ship responsible for environmental damage caused by the scrapping of the vessel. More..

The beautiful Bolama beach in the West African country of Guinea Bissau may soon turn into a scrapyard for old toxic ships, threatening nature and the lives of local people. The beach is part of the Bijagos Archipelagos, classified as a Biosphere Reserve by United Nations (Unesco). Help to save the Bolama beach! Let the United Nations know they should protect the nature and people of Guinea Bissau. As a result of the first thousands of e-mails from all over the world, Unesco has already sent a research mission to Bolama to assess the situation. But continued pressure is necessary to make sure that Unesco takes effective measures to protect Bolama Beach. So: click here to act now!

The international shipping community should agree upon an effective mandatory regime for clean shipbreaking and a liability chain that includes all stakeholders. These are the main conclusions representatives from Asia, the shipping industry and experts on liability agreed upon at an international seminar on liability for the scrapping of ships, organised by the International Institute for Asian Studies and Greenpeace at the Netherlands Maritime Museum on 2nd of June 2003. More...