Results and discussion
Progressive recycling was tracked for a given ship from the first
step of beaching to the final step of transporting the materials and
wastes out of the recycling yard. Each work activity was observed
carefully during the process of breaking of the given ship under the
investigation. At the outset, it was recognized that the bulk carrier,
general cargo and container ships were the most predominantly
broken ships in Alang and their hull structural members happen to
be comparable. The internal structure of bulk carrier, general cargo
and container ships comprises of slender, deep and vertical compartments
(typically named as “vaults”). These compartments
were, more likely than not, constructed structure planar sheet
metal reinforced and structurally supported with welded angles,
struss-like structural elements. Therefore, owing to the similarity in
the hull structural members of these three types of vessels the
“typical process for recycling” of the bulk carriers, general cargo
ships and containers was articulated by tracking the six ships (one
ship at a time).
The complete recycling of a bulk carrier (ship code B1) weighing
24,295 LDT and physical dimensions of 290 m length, 47.5 mwidth
and 24.3 m depth (built in 1985 and dismantled in 2011) was
investigated by IIT Bombay team in Alang. In all 141 days were
required by the yard from beaching to complete recycling. During
the course of breaking of bulk carrier (ship code B1) the IIT Bombay
team made following observations.
3.1. Work activities 3 to 7
After obtaining the permission for ship recycling from GMB (the
regulator) the team of safety manager, production manager and
selected foremen customarily conducts a reconnaissance survey of
the beached vessel in order to understand the architecture, special
features and structures on-board as well as to compare and contrast
deviations from the documentation on machinery and materials in
the ship and the maps and documentation furnished at the outset.
The investigation team of IIT Bombay joined the reconnaissance
survey and started making observations and rough inventory
before detailed plans were chalked-out for undertaking primary
data collection on all the steps undertaken in the course of
beaching to complete recycling of a given type of ship selected for
the study