IMO okays Alang safety measures

Keeping in mind the new guidelines for ship recycling globally, a delegation from International Maritime Organisation (IMO) visited Asia’s largest ship breaking yard on Wednesday and expressed satisfaction regarding the steps taken on safety of environment.

The 20-member delegation visited plot no.2 owned by Komalkant Sharma and checked the measures required and checked whether the measures suggested during their last visit had been implemented. Sharma said that the entire group also visited other plots to ensure the implementation of the measures under the current IMO guidelines on pollution, safety and health.

IMO implementation officer for marine environment division, Nikos Mikelis, expressed satisfaction and said that currently ship recycling industries are following similar guidelines to that of environment. He said that the way plot owners are observing the rules, “I am sure India will be the first country among ship recyclers to follow all steps laid by IMO.”

During their visit to ship recycling yard at Alang, the delegation reportedly faced an embarrassing situation. The moment the Norway representative Jens Henning Koefoed tried to capture the working style of recycling on his camera, AK Rathod, port officer of Alang, immediately snatched his camera saying that “this area is prohibited for still photography and video shooting.” But when asked, Rathod denied that such an incident had taken place.