Advancing Safer and More Efficient South Asian Ship Recycling Facilities

Abstract

Ship recycling yards play an integral role in the economy and in managing environmental hazards by facilitating the entire ship recycling process. Ship owners from all over the world sell End of Life (EOL) ships to the yard owners. The majority of these ships are sent to the yards in South Asian recycling countries, as these yards offer better prices for the ships. It is the substantially low wages of the workers which mainly enable the yard owners to bid a better price in the yard market, not the efficiency of the yards. Moreover, worker safety is often compromised due to the owners’ reluctance to implement safety measures and their dependence on outdated recycling methods. If the overall efficiency of the recycling process is improved, the efficiency of the entire yard will increase, and workers will have a better working environment. With this goal, the current study investigates the structural and safety issues of the ship recycling industry. It introduces a new method named “Combination Concept” by integrating two methods – Early Vessel Separation (EVS) and Stage-Wise Dismantling System (SWS). This study also proposes a new layout which divides the entire yard area into two segments for better workflow and efficiency. The FlexSim simulation validates the efficiency and material handling capabilities of this layout. This study also developed a cutting sequence designed explicitly for double-hull tanker ships. This advised sequence ensures the safety of the workers and improves scrap value. Based on the investigation, this study successfully provided a set of recommendations for safer and more sustainable ship recycling, aligning with relevant regulations. The effectiveness of these recommendations will heavily depend on coordination between the government and yard owners, implementation, adequate training and the existence of modern infrastructure.