Ship recycling
Ship recycling offers a possibility to reuse significant parts and equipment of the ship. Steel can be recycled to produce new steel, reducing the energy required for processing by two-thirds. Copper cables and aluminium may also be recycled in similar ways. This way we reuse natural resources.
Although the principles of ship recycling may be sound, the working practices and environmental standards in some yards often leave much to be desired. In these situations, ship recycling can be dangerous. With the adoption of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships in May 2009, steps towards quality improvements in ship recycling have been taken.
Safe and environmentally sound ship recycling
The new international regulations will require ship owners to equip their new and existing ships with inventories of hazardous materials. Maersk began to equip ships in our fleet with these inventories, already in 2007, starting with the new ships. Read our Ship Recycling Policy here.
Historically, Maersk has sold ships long before the end of their service life, and consequently recycling ships has not been necessary. Still, we design and build our ships to ensure a very high recycling ratio. We have also developed procedures for safe and environmentally responsible ship recycling. These procedures require a ship to be rigorously checked – via radiation surveys, hazardous material audits and samplings and other measures – before it is delivered to a recycling yard.
Before recycling a ship, we ensure that the chosen facility has professionally trained staff and appropriate safety and environmental protection procedures in place. These include tank cleaning, asbestos removal, refrigerant recovery, removal of hazardous materials, stripping and removing insulating materials, removal of all electric cables and wiring, and removal of PVC piping and other plastics. When a new shipyard is selected for recycling a ship, a Maersk-appointed supervisor monitors the pre-cleaning at the facility, the actual recycling, and the waste management, to ensure that it’s done properly and according to agreed procedures.
This sound approach to ship recycling reduces the environmental impact – meaning no oil spills, no discharge of toxic waste, proper dealing with asbestos, no burning of cables, proper refrigerant recovery, recycling of all recyclable materials and environmentally sound disposal of all materials – and it ensures a documented safe and secure working environment for shipyard recycling staff.
We aim to use only state-of-the-art recycling facility and have chosen a facility in China, where we monitor the recycling process and receive daily reports from our team in China. The yard we use is ISO 14001 and OHSMS 18001 certified, and we encourage other shipping companies to follow suit and use green recycling facilities for ship recycling.
Raising awareness about ship recycling
At Maersk, we even have a special unit devoted to raising awareness about ship recycling and ship materials. Known as A.P. Moller - Maersk Green Ship Recycling, the unit also takes part in legislative efforts and other means of promoting green ship recycling options.
A.P. Moller - Maersk Green Ship Recycling offers a range of services relating to the ship recycling process, from the last commercial port until the ship is completely recycled. We can help with:
• pre-inspection of the ship, creation of the inventory of hazardous materials, writing the ships recycling plan
• coordination/negotiation of sale, control of all documents and payments
• supervision of pre-cleaning, waste handling and dismantling at the yard
• assistance with training yard workers to improve their safety and occupational health
From 2000 until 2008, A.P. Moller - Maersk Green Ship Recycling has successfully recycled 27 ships in China without a single injury. Five of these ships belonged to shipping companies outside Maersk. By the end of 2009, with increased orders from third parties, a minimum of 21 ships will be recycled through this unit.
Waste handling
Like other businesses, our activities produce various types of waste. At Maersk, we understand that proper waste handling is crucial to the safety and security of employees, the environment and our business. Whenever we handle, store and dispose of harmful chemicals, bio-hazardous materials, paints, solvents, and any other products labelled flammable, caustic or poisonous, we do it by the book.
Managing sludge and waste on ships
Ships generate different types of waste, including oil waste, bilge, garbage, sewage, and various amounts of hazardous waste. At Maersk, we have implemented a waste management programme for our entire fleet, to ensure that all our waste streams are handled in a responsible and environmentally sound manner. We strive constantly to minimise the environmental impact of waste streams by reducing the amount of waste generated and improving our waste handling procedures.
We recently launched a new sludge and garbage management system as part of ongoing work to comply with ISO 14001 environmental standards. The new system gives stakeholders access to information in nominated key ports, which are rated on their service level and ability to handle sludge and garbage in an environmentally responsible manner.
We also require ships to report the amounts of sludge and garbage they dispose of. We strive to ensure the best possible monetary returns, and include this information in our system as well. By the end of 2008, more than 60 container ports had been rated, and in 2009, key ports will be audited for environmental performance.
Reducing oily waste beyond regulations
Pre-treatment of fuel oil prior to combustion leads to the generation of sludge. We are currently developing a sludge handling unit to remove the maximum possible amount of water from the sludge oil, reducing the amount of sludge oil to be discharged ashore.
To improve the performance of oily water separators, we continue to install emulsion-breaking filters on separators that can accommodate them. This initiative will ensure an environmental performance well beyond the regulatory requirements of 15 ppm.
All officers receive certified training to ensure proper handling of oily waste, and we have developed a new environmental compliance training course in co-operation with Maersk Training Centre. By October 2008, all chief engineers and 1st engineers on our ships had successfully completed this course.
Zero dumping policy on board
Each ship has a Garbage Management Plan onboard and segregation of garbage is carried out on all ships. This ensures that recyclable waste, such as glass and aluminium, can be reused. Hence we strive to reduce resource use instead of contributing to pollution of the air or soil by incineration or disposal at landfills.
Since 2007, all Maersk container ships have operated with a zero dumping policy on board, prohibiting the disposal of any unprocessed non-biodegradable solid waste into the ocean. Norfolkline ships do not dispose of non-biodegradable garbage at sea. Garbage is always handled in compliance with regulations, and we strive to dispose of garbage at land rather than at sea. Some of our ships are equipped with a waste incinerator. Residues from the incineration are disposed of on land. In addition, a large number of our ships have implemented a garbage recycling programme.
Sewage is kept in holding tanks until it can be discharged in an approved manner or processed at a treatment plant. Some container ships are fitted with a three-phase biological sewage treatment system that ensures effective treatment of sewage to the highest standards prior to discharge.
All generation and disposal of oily waste and garbage is logged on all our ships, and this should, in future, enable us to form a complete picture of our different waste streams.
Operating ships generate various amounts of hazardous waste, such as batteries, light bulbs, medical waste and chemicals. This waste is segregated and disposed of in a safe and environmentally responsible manner.
Recycling waste
In 2008, we collected a total of 6,378 tonnes of waste from DUC’s offshore operations. This is a 5.8% increase compared to 2007 and reflects the increase in certain offshore activities. All waste is segregated offshore and taken onshore for additional sorting, and then recycled, incinerated, or disposed of at landfills. In accordance with statutory requirements, we carry out waste handling and record keeping for the various wastes produced.
Changes in figures for 2005-2007, compared to the 2008 figures, are due to changes in classification and definitions. About 62% of the collected waste was recycled in 2008, whereas 37% was incinerated. The share of waste transferred to landfills was about 1%, and typically consists of welding slag, treated wood, gypsum boards and insulation materials, for which there are currently no other treatment options available.
In the future, the reduction in land-filled waste will mainly be based on product lifecycle evaluations and improved incineration technologies. We collect both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes and take them ashore. In 2008, about 62% of the collected waste was non-hazardous waste.
Maersk Drilling and Maersk FPSOs generated a total of 2,663 tonnes of hazardous waste and 2,411 tonnes of non-hazardous waste in 2008. There was 1,555 tonnes of recycled waste material, corresponding to a yearly recycling factor of 29%.