Ministry of Maritime Affairs in collaboration with International Maritime Organization (IMO) organized a seminar on the ratification and implementation of the Hong Kong Convention for safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships in a local hotel at Karachi.
The seminar started from 11th Dec and would continue till 13th Dec. The seminar was conducted by IMO consultants, Gudrun Janssens and Fan Yunzhi.
Main focus of the seminar is to create awareness about the convention among the local stakeholders and to build capacity of public and private organizations dealing with the ship breaking industry.
The Hong Kong Convention seeks to provide a “cradle to grave” solution to minimize the environmental, occupational, health and safety risks associated with ships recycling in the most effective, efficient and sustainable way.
Directorate General Ports and Shipping, Ministry of Climate Change, Commerce, Federal board of Revenue, port authorities, Pakistan National Shipping Corporation, Ship Breakers Association, Gaddani Labour representatives and relevant departments from the government of Balochistan are participating in the seminar.
Although, Pakistan has been ranked as the fourth largest ship breaking country in the world, but was not yet a signatory to the Hong Kong Convention. IMO and Maritime Ministry were working towards harmonizing the national laws in line with the convention.
Becoming a signatory of the convention, it will re-boost the ship breaking industry of Pakistan by increasing employment, assuring the safety of the work force and protection from environmental hazards.