Another Bangladeshi ship-breaking yard receives green certificate

Arab Ship Breaking and Recycling Limited has become the sixth ship-breaking yard in Bangladesh to receive the "Green Yard" certificate.

The European certification authority Bureau Veritas awarded the certificate following an inspection of the yard in Chattogram's Sitakunda upazila on 18 December last year.

The yard, built on 7 acres of land, employs over 300 workers and has an annual recycling capacity of 1.5 lakh gross tonnage of ships.

Previously, five other ship-breaking yards in Bangladesh—PHP Ship Breaking & Recycling Industries, SN Corporation, Kabir Ship Recycling, KR Ship Recycling, and MAK Corporation—received Green Yard certification.

A "Green Yard" refers to a ship-breaking yard compliant with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Guidelines for safe and environmentally-sound ship recycling under the Hong Kong Convention (HKC).

Confirming the certification, Nur Uddin Rubel, chairman of Arab Ship Breaking and Recycling Limited, told The Business Standard, "For the past two years, we have been diligently developing our yard, investing Tk70 crore in construction, modernisation, and equipment. This includes acquiring two 200-tonne heavy-duty cranes and various state-of-the-art machinery."

He added, "Over the past year, we have prioritised training skilled workers and safety officials to ensure the safe and environmentally responsible recycling of ships in full compliance with HKC guidelines."

"After inspecting the yard and its facilities, developed in compliance with HKC guidelines, Bureau Veritas awarded the certificate. We are now planning to apply for Class NK certification from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai," Rubel added.

Zahirul Islam Rinku, vice president of the Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association, noted that six yards have received green certificates so far, with 10 more currently undergoing inspections.

"We hope to have at least 15 green yards by July this year, and we aim to raise this number to 20 by the end of the year," he added.

By adhering to strict environmental standards, green shipyards ensure that the shipbreaking process does not harm the environment or compromise workers' health.

Green shipyards prioritise worker safety and health by implementing strict safety protocols, providing personal protective equipment, and offering training programmes.