[Passed] - Ship breaking and recycling protocol

[Simone]

The main thread is on the NS Forums.

https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=523295

Any comments appreciated as always.

Draft 3

Category: "Environmental/Manufacturing" "Mild".

The World Assembly,

Recognizing its efforts to protect the seas (GAR#168, GAR#409), to promote recycling (GAR#511), and resolutions on labor rights and trade;

Concerned that, with ever more ships plying the waters, no effective rules exist on the recycling of ships at the end of their useful lives;

Noting that ship recycling yard workers may be exposed to hazardous materials such as polychlorinated biphenyls, tributyltins and others, which if not properly handled may raise the risk of mesothelioma and other illnesses for these workers,

Hereby enacts as follows:

1. For the purposes of this Resolution:
   • "WA vessel" to mean a ship duly registered to the shipping registry of a WA member state and/or subject to its jurisdiction thereof;
   • "Flag state" to mean the WA member state for which a WA vessel is on its registry; and
   • "WA yard" means a breaking and recycling yard located within a WA member state.
2. The World Assembly Nautical Commission (WANC) shall set forth, and update from time to time as it deems fit:
   • rules on safe and environmentally-friendly practices on the recycling of WA vessels, including technical rules on design, construction, and operations of WA vessels and WA yards;
   • requirements to (re)confirm the safety and capability of a WA vessel prior to and for its final voyage to a WA yard for recycling;
   • requirements that flag state must ensure that a WA vessel on its registry carries adequate insurance prior to setting off on its final voyage to a WA yard for recycling to compensate for any potential incidents en route, including any salvage and clean up costs;
   • requirements that any new WA vessels to compile and maintain (and for existing vessels, compile and maintain to the fullest extent possible) an updated inventory of hazardous materials used in its construction, modification and/or repairs to aid the WA yard during breaking and recycling; and
   • templates for "Recycling Plans" for WA yards, to be updated from time to time, detailing how various kinds of WA vessels will be recycled in a safe and environmentally-friendly manner, including the safe handling of potentially hazardous materials.
3. WA yards are required, for each recycling of a WA vessel, to:
   • complete such a "Recycling Plan" stated in Clause (2)(e) specific to that WA vessel, using the latest templates from WANC;
   • for such a Plan to be approved by a competent authority of the WA member where the WA yard is located prior to the start of work; and
   • for the aforesaid competent authority to enforce compliance of the said Plan.
   
   
4. WA yards recycling non WA vessels, or vessels not built according to WANC rules, are required to comply with local rules or WANC rules, whichever is stricter, to the maximum technical extent possible.
   
   
5. WA members are strongly encouraged to require that their WA vessels are recycled in WA yards, and not at non-WA member states, unless the WA member is satisfied that the non-WA member state adheres to standards for recycling at least as stringent as WANC rules.
   
   
6. Flag states may not permit the re-registration of a WA vessel to a non-WA member state if the competent authority of the flag state independently determine after due process that the re-registration is primarily for the purpose of circumventing WANC rules.

 

[Simone]

Passed. Thread locked.