The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AP Moller-Maersk to collaborate to develop and establish a ship recycling industry in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The signing of the MoU was attended by strategic partners, the Arab Shipbuilding and Repair Yard Company (ASRY), Bahrain Steel, and APM Terminals Bahrain – the operator of Khalifa Bin Salman Port.
The MoU aims to promote joint work and research in safe and sustainable ship recycling between the involved companies in Bahrain, marking the first collaboration of its kind in the Kingdom.
According to the MoU, the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce will provide organisational support to ASRY, which will prepare the docks and yards for larger vessels. AB Moller-Maersk will contribute by attracting ships for recycling and providing its expertise as a consultant to ensure the operations meet international standards. In return, Bahrain Steel will receive and process the steel from the recycling process for distribution in the local and international markets.
Mohammed bin Thamer Al Kaabi, the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications, said Bahrain’s commitment to achieving sustainable development goals through strategic and effective partnerships between the public and private sectors is in line with the principles of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.
He highlighted the ministry’s interest in promoting international practices in all areas of the maritime sector by complying with the highest international ship recycling standards and applying best practices in the field of iron and steel recycling.
Al Kaabi added that the ship recycling project will contribute to driving local economic growth by capitalising on the local commercial activity generated from the sale of recycled materials.
Abdullah bin Adel Fakhro, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, emphasised that this MoU is a testament to the Kingdom of Bahrain’s commitment to promoting sustainable manufacturing, enabling the private sector to implement the concepts of a circular economy, and spreading the culture of environmental and social governance in line with the pillars of the Industrial Sector Strategy (2022-2026).
The minister added that this initiative contributes to supporting Bahrain’s approach to achieving carbon neutrality and integrating efforts to adopt policies and initiatives aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the industrial sector.
Ahmed Hassan, the Head of Procurement at AP Moller – Maersk, said that Maersk Group has established a ship recycling programme that is governed by standards for the responsible handling of ship recycling, regardless of geographical location.
He said these standards incorporated the guidelines set by the International Maritime Organisation through the Hong Kong Convention and exceed requirements in several criteria, including waste stream management, labour standards, human rights, and anti-corruption, among others.
He expressed pride in bringing technical and operational knowledge to the Kingdom of Bahrain and sharing it with all stakeholders, who will support the industry in addressing its future capacity challenge.
BNA(R)
