SHIP RECYCLING IN PAKISTAN: PROSPECTS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

The ship breaking and recycling industry (SBRI) utilizes the end-of-life ships for converting them recyclable and other useable items. On one hand, ship recycling offers the most environmentally sustainable way of disposing of old vessels, with virtually every part of the hull and the machine complex being reused or recycled as scrap metal. While the flip side has concerns on clean and safe operations at most of the facilities located worldwide. Although the industry is beneficial from a life-cycle assessment point of view, over the years it has gravitated toward countries with low labor costs, weak regulations on occupational safety, and limited environmental enforcement.