MoU Signed For Upgrading Of Gadani Shipbreaking Yard

Memorandum of Understand (MoU) between Pakistan Shipbreakers Association Gidani, Country Marine and Offshore, Bureau Veritas Pakistan under the Bangkok Convention for modernization of Gadani shipbreaking industry in supervision of Balochistan Minister for Planning and Development Zahoor Ahmed Buledi

QUETTA, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Apr, 2025) Memorandum of Understand (MoU) between Pakistan Shipbreakers Association Gidani, Country Marine and Offshore, Bureau Veritas Pakistan under the Bangkok Convention for modernization of Gadani shipbreaking industry in supervision of Balochistan Minister for Planning and Development Zahoor Ahmed Buledi.

The special ceremony was held in Karachi on Wednesday.

Chairman Pakistan Ship-breakers Association Rafique Salam and CEO Bureau Veritas Pakistan Captain (R) Sarfraz Inayatullah signed the contract at the ceremony.

The ceremony was attended by stakeholders of the ship-breaking industry, Balochistan Development Authority officers, DG Port and Shipping Authority and industrialists associated with the business community.

Addressing the ceremony, Zahoor Buledi said that the Gadani is an industrial asset of Pakistan, the process of ship recycling has been going on here for decades, which feeds the country's steel industry and provides employment to thousands of people but the world is changing with time.

He said that today's requirement is that we make our industry sustainable, safe and internationally acceptable saying that the government of Pakistan is committed to fully implementing the Hong Kong Convention Roadmap for ship recycling by June 2025

In this regard, we are moving towards green yard.

“Pakistan’s Gadani Shipbreaking Industry has full potential to become a model yard, the Shipbreakers Association’s award of the contract in consultation with stakeholders for the development of the industry is a major achievement for Pakistan, it would give a new direction to the country’s economy”, he said.

He said that Pakistan is striving to implement the prevailing global environmental and financial SOPs for ship-breaking recycling under the Hong Kong Convention, hiring a quality audit firm for the financial audit contract is an important step towards the development of the ship-breaking industry.

He said that Bureau Veritas’ inspection and certification of the operational, financial and environmental activities of the Gadani Ship-breaking Industry would give the industry a prominent position.

In this regard, it will help in complying with international regulations and conventions related to ship recycling in the context of financial performance and legal standards, he said.

Mir Zahoor Buledi said that the Balochistan government, with the support of the Gadani Ship-breakers Association and relevant stakeholders would strengthen the efforts for the stability and development of the industry could play a key role for progress the economy.

Speaking at the ceremony, Pakistan Ship-breakers Association Chairman Rafiq Salam and Senior Official Asif Khan said that recycling of inoperative ships in the Gadani shipbreaking industry is key to the local economy.

The government of Pakistan has signed the laws on marine life protection and financial auditing under the Hong Kong Convention, he said.

He said that the Pakistan Shipbreakers Association is playing a proactive role in maintaining the government of Pakistan’s commitment to a sustainable natural ecosystem saying that all the yards of Gadani are ensuring the implementation of SOPs.

The signing of the contract between Pakistan Ship-breakers Association and Pakistan Bureau Veritas would give a new identity to the ship-breaking industry at the global level, he said adding that seven ship-breaking firms have taken the services of Bureau Veritas in this regard.

He said that today’s ceremony is a historic and proud moment for us, the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as well as the issuance of individual agreements for HKC compliance certification by seven prominent ship recyclers in Gadani, marks the beginning of a new era.

He said that this is not just an agreement but a commitment, a commitment that is the first step towards the path of safe, environmentally friendly, and international standard ship recycling. This is the vision under which PSBA and Bureau Veritas have joined hands, so that we can get our shipyards certified in accordance with the principles of the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, he said.

Chairman Pakistan Ship-breakers Association said that the yards that have signed individual agreements with BV are our heroes, these are the industrialists who have taken the initiative, and are leading the modernization change.

He said that under these agreements, Ship Recycling Facility Plans (SRFPs) would be prepared for each yard, Hazardous Materials Inventory (IHM) would be audited and managed, Workers to be given safety training and finally, certification could be obtained as per international standards.

Rafiq Salam said that all this is not being done just because we want to achieve “paper” compliance, but because we want to bring about a real change, a change that would protect workers, protect the marine environment, and improve Pakistan’s industrial image globally.

Our partnership with Bureau Veritas, the government’s commitment to technical capability and sustainability and an exemplary partnership for us is the reason, he said.

He said that today is a testament to the fact that Pakistan’s ship recycling industry has not only awakened, but is also ready to adopt international standards, improve its reputation, and compete in the global market.

The Chairman of Pakistan Shipbreakers Association thanked the Government of Pakistan, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, and all regulatory bodies, the Government of Balochistan, the Ministry of Planning and Development, who have always supported the vision of PSBA for the development of the country’s economy.