Documents

Greenpeace reports

End of Life Ships: The Human Cost of Breaking Ships, December 2006 (pdf)
This is a joint report by Greenpeace and the International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH), that aims to shed light on the extremely poor working and environmental conditions that are still prevailing at shipbreaking yards all over the world. We illustrate this by using the specific examples of the two biggest shipbreaking countries: India and Bangladesh. Shipbreaking involves environmental justice as well as human rights issues. This is why, for the first time, Greenpeace and FIDH decided to bring together their expertise in these respective fields and publish this joint report.

The Ship Recycling Fund - Financing environmentally sound scrapping and recycling of sea-going ships, February 2005 (pdf)
This document provides information on a Ship Recycling Fund that in combination with mandatory regulations provides shipbreakers and shipbreaking countries worldwide with the means to invest in best practice facilities and working methods at a yard. The document also contains information on how a Ship Recycling Fund provides shipowners with the means to finance pre-cleaning of ships and responsible disposal of their end-of-life vessels with a contribution to the Ship Recycling Fund.

Destination unknown: European single hull oil tankers…No place to go, December 2004 (pdf) <>
This 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. Over 2,000 single-hull oil tankers will be removed from the water and scrapped within five years. But there is a lack of shipbreaking yards capable of scrapping ships in an environmentally clean way.

Playing Hide and Seek, December 2003 (pdf)
This Greenpeace report shows that voluntary guidelines on ship recycling do not work and reinforces the need for international, mandatory guidelines on ship breaking. Ship owners are not taking the measures necessary to avoid pollution and to save lives, as promoted by the voluntary Code of Practice. The report 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.

Ships for Scrap VI - Steel and Toxic Wastes for Asia, December 2003 (pdf)
In December 2002, a Greenpeace delegation visited the shipbreaking yards at
Mumbai, India and took environmental samples from the ship-breaking plots. This was a
follow-up to Greenpeace's 1998 investigation published in the report 'Ships for Scrap -
Steel and Toxic Wastes for Asia'. The visual inspection and scientific analysis of the environmental samples of December 2002 confirm that there is no sign of improvement at the yard, either in environmental conditions or in the working conditions.

Facing the deadlines, 16 April 2002 (pdf)
During the annual INTERTANKO event in Rotterdam, Greenpeace called upon the tanker community to ensure that every tanker-for-scrap from members of INTERTANKO will be delivered gas-free for hot works. INTERTANKO is the International Association of Independent Tankers Owners.

Towards clean ships (-breaking), 8 October 2002 (pdf)
This is a presentation for the International Maritime Industries Forum. Greenpeace put forward two statements. First: from now on we should approach shipbreaking as a service to the international community carried out by the shipbreaking nations. Second: if we want to solve the problems associated with the breaking of ships we should tackle two issues in the shipping industry: transparency and responsibility.

The Sea Beirut case, December 2002 (pdf)
All about this case of illegal trade in hazardous waste.

The continuous evasion of 'The Polluter Pays Principle', September 2002 (pdf)
A breakdown made by Greenpeace of financial profits and environmental and health costs in relation to the shipbreaking industry.

Corporate Crimes, August 2002 (pdf)
Compiles cases of corporate crime from various industrial sectors, including the chemical, forest, mining, genetic engineering, nuclear and oil industries, from different parts of the world.

Ships for scrap V: Steel and toxic waste for Asia, january 2002 (pdf)
Although Turkey is an OECD country, it is still being used by the so-called developed part of the world as toxic waste dumping ground. The shipbreaking yards in Aliaga began in the mid-70s. Greenpeace investigations covered the environmental and working conditions, the legal framework of shipbreaking in Turkey and the liabilities of national and international authorities. Samples were taken and analysed. It turned out that the workers health and the environment are constantly put at risk by toxic substances and unsafe working conditions.

Ships for scrap IV: Steel and toxic waste for Asia, June 2001 (pdf)
Greenpeace investigated the conditions at four Chinese shipbreaking yards. The focus was on the environmental and working conditions. Also the study involved sampling and analyses of sediments from the vicinity of the yards. Conclusions: protection provided for is insufficient and no real measures are taken to prevent environmental contamination. Shipbreaking has polluted the sediments of the local environment with heavy metals and toxic substances.

Ships for scrap III: Steel and toxic waste for Asia, 2001 (pdf)
In June 2000 Greenpeace took up on an official invitation by the Gujarat Maritime Board in India, to take environmental samples from the Alang shipbreaking yards. Greenpeace also got permission to take samples from the Mumbai shipbreaking yards in Bombay. The analysis reconfirmed the findings of the October 1998 investigation of these yards. Shipyard workers are exposed to a deadly cocktail of toxic substances.

Ships for scrap II: Steel and toxic waste for Asia, November 1999 (pdf)
Greenpeace visited a Chinese shipbreaking yard. Earlier Greenpeace traced a container ship owned by Hamburg Süd on the beach of Alang in India. Greenpeace started a long dispute and finally the shipping group admitted the conditions were unacceptable. It opted for China to scrap two other ships. Greenpeace investigated the practices at the yard and made recommendations for measures to be taken.

Shipbreaking: toxic waste in disguise. The China Connection, April 1999 (pdf)
After a downturn in China's shipbreaking activities, China has expressed its intention to make a comeback. A Greenpeace China investigation team witnessed workers only protected by straw hats and light shoes at two Chinese scrapyards. Samples taken proved that asbestos was lying around. Greenpeace and BAN traced down the P&O Nedlloyd's ship Encounter Bay in a scrapyard. Its name and the P&O sign had been painted over.

Ships for scrap: Steel and toxic waste for Asia, March 1999 (pdf)
Greenpeace and BAN undertook a fact-finding mission to two shipbreaking yards in Bombay and Alang in India. They tried to make an eyewitness record and took environmental samples. Analysis revealed dramatic to substantial workplace contamination by various toxic heavy metals from the ship paints. People working at the scrapping yards are exposed daily to free asbestos fibres and vapours and toxic dusts.

Legal and Political Restraints on the Export of Waste Vessels Containing Hazardous Substances: A Critique of the Report of the US Interagency Panel on Ship Scrapping, 4 June 1998 (pdf)
A report prepared by the Basel Action Network and Greenpeace International.

Greenpeace submissions

Critique of draft IMO 'International convention for safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships', March 2006 (pdf)
Prepared by the Basel Action Network on behalf of the Global NGO Platform on Shipbreaking.
Critical analysis of the Norwegian 'Draft International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships' for the IMO. While the Draft Convention is only in a rudimentary stage of development, it is nevertheless possible to observe that its framework, its basis, and its identified elements fail to address the most important aspects of the environmental injustice of present shipbreaking practices. It also fails to address many aspects of the issue that have created demand for global action. In a comparative table this paper compares the draft with relevant elements in the Basel Convention and with elements signaled in international discussions as being necessary to properly address the global shipbreaking crisis.

MEPC 54 - Recycling of ships. The need to develop a new legally-binding instrument that will build and improve upon existing environmental justice legislation, February 2006 (pdf)
Submission by Greenpeace.
This document provides (1) a summary of a new report recently published by Greenpeace and the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) in co-operation with YPSA (Young Power in Social Action) entitled 'End of Life Ships. the human cost of breaking ships', and (2) a copy of a Joint Declaration on Implementing Urgent Global Solutions to the Shipbreaking Crisis that is signed by 25 human health, environmental and human rights NGOs, including trade unions.

Joint Declaration on Implementing Urgent Global Solutions to the Shipbreaking Crisis, 13 December 2005 (pdf)
25 NGOs call upon UN institutions and governments to implement an effective and enforceable mandatory regime, based on the Basel Convention and the existing Guidelines of IMO, UNEP and ILO. In order to save human life and to protect the environment they also urge the parties and member to immediately start enforcement of the existing instruments, like the Basel Convention and the ILO Guidelines.

Obligations and opportunities for a mandatory alternate or additional instrument to the Basel Convention for end-of-life ships, 27 June 2005 (pdf)
Submission by Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN), in the context of decision VII/26 adopted by the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties. Greenpeace and BAN conclude that, regarding the transboundary movement and waste management of end-of-life vessels, any regime proposed in a venue other than the Basel Convention must achieve an "equivalent level of control".

Environmentally sound management of dismantling of single hull oil tankers, 27 June 2005 (pdf)
Note by Greenpeace to the Basel Convention, in the context of decision VII/26 adopted by the seventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties. Greenpeace calls for national and/or regional enforcement projects on single hull oil tankers.

MEPC 53 - Obligations and Opportunities for a Mandatory Alternate or Additional Instrument to the Basel Convention for End-of-Life Ships, 26 May 2005 (pdf)
Submission by Greenpeace and the Basel Action Network (BAN).
A paper on the transboundary movement and waste management of end-of-life vessels in other venues such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO). A review of these Basel obligations indicates that there is no escaping that any regime proposed in a venue other than the Basel Convention must achieve an "equivalent level of control". Greenpeace and BAN elaborate on the meaning and consequences of this guiding principle.

Any other business - The IMO Guidelines on ship recycling (Annotated), 17 February 2005 (pdf)
Submitted by Greenpeace International and the Basel Action Network (BAN) to the Joint ILO/IMO/Basel Convention Working Group on Ship Scrapping.
This submission highlights how the IMO Guidelines on Ship Recycling conflicts with the principles and obligations embodied in the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal.

MEPC 52/3/3 - Recycling of Ships, August 2004 (pdf)
Proposals for review and further development of the IMO Guidelines. This submission: (i) argues for the need for the Committee to review the implementation of the adopted Guidelines on Ship Recycling (examining compliance with, for example, chapters 5, 7 and 8 of the Guidelines); and (ii) urges the need for the Committee to develop and explore actions and mechanisms that do not only promote implementation but also hold parties and shipping companies accountable for failure to comply with the Guidelines.

MEPC 52/3/2 - Recycling of Ships, August 2004 (pdf)
Proposals for mandatory guidelines. This submission argues for the need for the MEPC to adopt a policy of making the IMO Guidelines, or at least parts of them, mandatory. The parts that should be made mandatory are, amongst others, those that directly originate from the obligations and related procedures under the Basel Convention. This submission comments also on annex 2 of document MEPC 51/WP.5 and on the related comments (Mechanisms for the promotion of the implementation of the Guidelines) of the Correspondence Group on Ship Recycling established by MEPC 51. It proposes further the establishment of an effective reporting system, including compulsory notification by shipowners when decommissioning ships.

Intervention Greenpeace during IMO, MEPC 51, 29 March 2004 (pdf)
Greenpeace urges the Committee to take steps to make the IMO guidelines compliant with the Basel Convention and to promote implementation of the guidelines.

MEPC 51 - Agenda Item 3 Recycling of Ships, March 2004 (pdf)
Proposals for the further development of the list of future work items on shiprecycling as approved by MEPC 49 with a view to making the IMO guidelines fully compliant with the Basel Convention. The Committee is urged to instruct the working group to do the necessary preparation work and assessments to turn the guidelines into a mandatory regime.

Analysis of inconsistencies between IMO Guidelines on Shiprecycling and the Basel Convention, March 2004 (pdf)
This document presents the view of Greenpeace International and the Basel Action Network (BAN) on the necessary improvements of the IMO Guidelines in order to make the Guidelines consistent with existing international law. Presented to the MEPC 51.

MEPC 49/3/4 - Recycling of ships, 23 May 2003 (pdf)
Comments on the Report of the Correspondence Group: Compliance with the Basel Convention.

MEPC 49/3/2 - Recycling of ships, 9 May 2003 (pdf)
Comments on the Report of the Correspondence Group: Selected cases of decommissioning of vessels indicating the need for mandatory requirements.

Jan 02 LWG Submission of Greenpeace and BAN: Shipbreaking and the Legal Obligations Under the Basel Convention - Submitted by the Basel Action Network (BAN) and Greenpeace International for the Fourth Session of the Legal Working Group of the Basel Convention (pdf)

Jan2002 Submission to MEPC47: Comments by Greenpeace on the First Report of the IMO Correspondence Group on the Recycling of Ships (pdf)

A summary of the Discussion on Ship-Breaking ('ship-recycling') at the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee 46 (pdf)

Feb 01: Submission to MEPC46: Environmental contamination in Alang-Sosiya Shipbreaking Yards. Submitted by Greenpeace International. MEPC 46/INF.21 (pdf)

March2000 Tablenote to MEPC44: Shipbreaking - The case of MV Forthbank - Belgium, December 1999: A legal precedent for the application of the EU Hazardous Waste Export Ban to toxic ships bound for scrapping in Asia. A Greenpeace Report for IMO MEPC 44th Session - March 2000

March2000 Report to MEPC44: Shipbreaking: A Global Environmental, Health and Labour Challenge. A Greenpeace Report for IMO MEPC 44th Session - March 2000 (pdf)

April 99 TWG Submission of Greenpeace and BAN: Shipbreaking and the Basel Convention - An Analysis