The SENSREC phase II project will focus on building capacity within Bangladesh for Hong Kong Convention. Credit: International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched the second phase of a project in Bangladesh to promote safe and sustainable ship recycling practice.
The Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling in Bangladesh (SENSREC) Phase II Project will be conducted under a $1.1m agreement between IMO and the Government of Norway.
The 19-month long project is designed to build capacity within Bangladesh to create a legal, policy and institutional reform roadmap for enabling the country to agree to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (Hong Kong Convention).
It will also train several stakeholders to achieve its goals in accordance with the Hong Kong Convention requirements.
The SENSREC Phase II Project will be based on the first phase of SENSREC Project, which led to economic and environmental studies on ship recycling in Bangladesh.
The first phase of SENSREC Project also resulted in the development of training materials, capacity building plans, and a preliminary design for ship recycling infrastructures.
“Norway is pleased to launch phase II of the project and to continue supporting Bangladesh on its road to compliance with the Hong Kong Convention.”
Norway Ambassador to Bangladesh Sidsel Bleken said: “The first phase of the project has achieved significant progress in terms of developing health, safety and environmental standards, as well as developing appropriate training programmes for the industry stakeholders, including its workers.
“Norway is pleased to launch phase II of the project and to continue supporting Bangladesh on its road to compliance with the Hong Kong Convention.
“The Government of Bangladesh, the ship recycling industry, as well as the international ship-owners, have a joint responsibility in making this happen.”
Bangladesh is currently estimated to be one the world’s top five ship recycling countries in terms of capacity, along with China, India, Pakistan, and Turkey.
These five countries account for 98% of the world’s known ship recycling activities.