To beach or not to beach: Industry is split on Europe's ruling to ban owners running ships aground in South Asia

摘要

A major cash buyer of ships for recycling is lobbying the European Commission to reconsider its stance on banning beaching as an option for recycling European tonnage, arguing it would stall improvements currently being made by ship breakers in the region. Of course, it stands to lose a big chunk of business when the ban takes effect. Each year about 800-900 of the estimated 45,000 vessels in the SOLAS fleet are taken out of service. While they may have been deemed uneconomic to operate to transport cargo, they still hold value. The steel from which they are constructed - up to 80% of a vessel's lightweight value-can be recycled, as can some of the machinery and other equipment.