To recycle the 1990-built ‘Carnival Fantasy’ and the 1996-built ‘Carnival Inspiration’, Carnival Corp signed agreements with Turkish maritime reclamation and recycling specialists, EGE Celik and Simsekler.
They were contracted to responsibly dismantle and recycle the two retired ships.
Carnival Corp worked with the environmental non-profit Bellona Foundation – a partner in the NGO Shipbreaking Platform – and the specialised ship recycling company Sea2Cradle to formulate a plan to dismantling and recycling the ships.
The organisations also helped identify certified maritime vessel retirement solutions worldwide that are able to reuse, reclaim and recycle retired ships in support of Carnival Corp’s commitment to a sustainable cruise industry.
“Our highest responsibility and top priorities are compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, the communities we visit and our crew,” explained Bill Burke, Carnival Corp’s Chief Maritime Officer. “That commitment extends to our cruise ships, starting from the moment a ship becomes part of our fleet and continuing all the way through to its retirement.
“In addition to limiting our vessels’ impact on the environment throughout their service time in our fleet, recycling our retired ships following the European Ship Recycling Regulation ensures we are applying the highest global standards and contributing to a sustainable cruise industry,” he added.
After a review of sustainable ship recycling facilities, Carnival selected the Turkish companies based on their track records of compliance with key national and international environmental agreements and regulations.
Both recycling companies are certified by the IMO’s Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. They are also strictly required to adhere to a complex matrix of global standards set forth by the European Union (EU), IMO, International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Basel Convention multi-lateral environmental agreement.
The recycling companies agreed a ship recycle plan for each vessel by consulting with Sea2Cradle to ensure optimal compliance with key national and international environmental standards.
Each plan includes a complete inventory of hazardous and regulated materials and the procedures planned for safely removing and processing the materials in an environmentally friendly way. Once these materials were safely removed and processed, the companies could begin to dismantle each ship.
Each ship was stripped of her machinery, electronic equipment, glass, wood and other materials that can be directly re-cycled for use in new ships, used in shiprepair or re-purposed for other applications.
Steel and metal scraps will be salvaged and recycled for direct use or be sent to the mill for producing other products and goods.
Working on behalf of Carnival Corp and as an added assurance, Sea2Cradle is supervising the ship dismantling and recycling process at the demolition yards throughout the entire process to ensure the highest health, safety and environmental standards are maintained.
“We are proud to collaborate with Carnival Corp for the clean and safe recycling of their retired cruise vessels,” said Wouter Rozenveld, Director, Sea2Cradle. “We recently carried out the Inventory of Hazardous Materials that will form the basis of a unique ship recycling plan created for each vessel.
“Our experienced supervisors will be present at the yard during the entire recycling process, to ensure the recycling plan is adhered to and that all health, safety and environmental measures are followed. We will also see to it that non-recyclable materials are being disposed of and treated properly, and we will remain on-site until the last piece of steel is brought to the smelter to produce new products,” he said.
Sea2Cradle estimated that a significant percentage of the materials from both vessels will be re-used, reclaimed or recycled.
Sigurd Enge, Bellona Foundation head of shipping & Arctic issues, said: “Bellona Foundation endorses Carnival Corp’s decision to responsibly recycle their retired ships in Turkey, and we applaud them for leading the way to responsible management throughout the lifecycle of their ships.
“Dismantling a cruise ship is complex, involving many components for re-use, recycling and waste for deposition. We are grateful for Carnival Corp’s commitment to performing the recycling in a proper way to avoid pollution and to safeguard the environment,” she said.
Commenting on Carnival’s choice of a shipbreaking location, the lobbyist NGO Shipbreaking Platform commended Carnival for its recent decision to support clean, safe and just ship recycling.
The company has worked with the Platform’s member organisation Bellona Foundation and Dutch company Sea2Cradle for the development of a comprehensive ship recycling plan for two of its retired vessels.
Both of the Turkish recycling facilities meet the environmental and safety standards set out in the EU Ship Recycling Regulation, which became applicable on 31st December, 2018 and provides the only reliable auditing scheme for clean and safe recycling.
“Carnival Corp’s decision shows that it is possible to scrap ships off the beach. Shipowners have a duty of care with regards to the safe management of their end-of-life fleet, and we strongly advise other owners to follow Carnival’s example to avoid putting workers, the environment and their own company at risk. Opting for a facility that is on the EU List is the best safeguard a concerned owner can take,” said Ingvild Jenssen, NGO Shipbreaking Platform Director and Founder.
