Greenpeace has created a wide, international focus on how the recycling of ships takes place. The organisation criticises the sites where the ships are scrapped and the methods adopted, but they also criticise the owners of the ships. Greenpeace claims that the owners are not interested in this problem and do not focus on it at all.

Greenpeace is impatient too impatient to find solutions, in my view, parries Westfal-Larsen. He disagrees that the problems related to the recycling of ships are not taken into consideration by the many national shipowner associations.

We all have to focus on the tasks we can influence, and help to find solutions that can be complied with. The ICS has traditionally contributed to the International Maritime Organisation by advising on best industry practices that have later been accepted by IMO as the basis for guidelines or international conventions. We will continue to do this. ICS is focusing on developing and understanding the responsibilities of each of the players.

Access to the inventory list
Currently, through collaboration between all the players in the shipping industry from the shipyards where the ships are built to the sites where they are scrapped the ICS is focusing on establishing an international understanding that clearly stipulates the responsibilities of all the players. However, Westfal-Larsen emphasises that the industry must focus on its own concerns and not become involved in countries internal affairs.

As an example of the industrys own concerns, he points to the importance of access to the ships inventory list. This is a list of what is to be found onboard the ship, the construction materials and where they are used. The regulations must be clear and unambiguous. He again emphasises the importance of choosing materials that ensure a ships high quality throughout its lifetime. Explaining what he means by a countrys internal affairs, he says: Personally, I look to the work that the International Labour Organisation carries out to improve the conditions of those working at the recycling sites as the most important driving force behind the national authorities.

Grazing on one common pasture
Rolf Westfal-Larsen also respects those who become involved in the problems related to the recycling of ships in general and he also recognises Greenpeace, which has shown a particularly strong involvement in this. But I doubt whether they are thorough enough, and believe they give priority to making their views known instead of to finding long-term solutions. We are all keen to ensure that the recycling of ships should not cause any unnecessary strain on the environment. So we have to find solutions that can work. Solutions that have been thoroughly assessed and which can be used over time.

Westfal-Larsen is pragmatic. He complies with the guidelines laid down by the organisation that has elected him. He in no way rejects the criticism of the shipping industry, but a long life as a shipowner, president of the Norwegian Shipowners Association and now also the head of the International Chamber of Shipping has taught him to respect other peoples opinions, and not least to respect nature and the environment, of which we are all a part.

The ICS cannot impose sanctions. The ICS cannot demand the few, rogue shipowners heads on a platter. But, in addition to shipowners being dependent on the markets opinion of them, and to the fact that the ones behaving responsibly are those that will be preferred by their customers, they themselves are operating in an environment that is vulnerable. We all borrow from those that come after us, and we all graze on one common pasture.