Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Junaid Anwar Chaudhry on Friday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to trans-forming the Gadani ship-breaking yard – the world’s third largest – into a hub for environmentally responsible and sustaina-ble ship recycling.

The minister while chairing a high-level meeting emphasised the need for climate action through eco-friendly dismantling practices. He directed the Ports and Shipping administration to issue the first “green yard” certificate – based on compliance with the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) – within one week.

The Hong Kong Convention, which will come into force on June 26, 2025, mandates the adoption of safe and environmen-tally sound ship recycling practices to minimise hazardous waste and environmental harm.
Spanning 10 kilometres of coastline with around 135 designated plots, Gadani is undergoing significant restructuring. Elev-en yards are
nearing readiness for green operations, with another 20 expected to adopt environmentally compliant practices by June 2026.

The minister underlined that full compliance with the HKC is not only a legal obligation but also critical to addressing cli-mate change.
He said eco-friendly ship recycling would help lower carbon emissions, curb pollution, and promote circular economy prac-tices.

“Green ship recycling is central to both environmental protection and sustainable economic growth,” Chaudhry said, calling for greater coordination with the Balochistan government to make Gadani a global model for climate-conscious ship disman-tling.

To oversee the transition, a multi-stakeholder committee headed by the Maritime Ministry’s Technical Advisor, Jawad Akhtar has been formed to identify infrastructure gaps and prioritise eco-friendly developments.

A federal project worth Rs12 billion has already been approved to upgrade the Gadani Yard with modern infrastructure, in-cluding a hazardous waste treatment plant, a one-window facilitation centre, rescue and fire safety services, a hospital, clean water supply, and improved access roads.

The minister also announced plans to establish a National Centre of Excellence for green ports, shipping, and integrated maritime industries in Karachi. The centre will focus on research, training, business facilitation, and innovation in sustainable maritime practices.

Under the HKC, all ships above 500 gross tonnage must carry an International Certificate on Inventory of Hazardous Mate-rials (IHM) prior to recycling.

This regulation, which becomes globally enforceable by 2030, is expected to substantially reduce environmental risks asso-ciated with conventional ship-breaking.

Pakistan is committed to protecting both its environment and its workers, Chaudhry said. “Through responsible recycling, Gadani can emerge as a leader in climate-friendly practices, contributing to global decarbonisation goals while creating sus-tainable livelihoods.”
Source: Business Recorder