When it comes to exploiting the coming boom in ship-breaking, the UAE is in the right place at the right time, according to Bob Hawke, the managing director of the Abu Dhabi-based marine contractors Khamis Al Rumaithy.
The company, which builds marinas and jetties, also has a track record in demolition - from fixed marine structures such as rigs to barges. It now envisages huge potential in expanding into the ship-recycling industry as cash-strapped shipowners are looking to scrap younger vessels this year.
Khamis Al Rumaithy envisions a facility that will be fully compliant with all the ecological requirements for a "green" recycling process.
"We are looking at a number of coastal free zone sites," said Mr Hawke. "What we need is water depth to build a quay and a large adjoining onshore site where we can remove and then break down the engines and separate any hazardous material for later removal. That leaves the hull still intact for fast breaking.
"Ships are 90 per cent steel. But what's left contains a lot of nasty material; PCBs, oil, asbestos, so you can't be cavalier."
The company has already secured unnamed Bahrain financial backers for the project, with connections to Abu Dhabi, and although its plan would be less financially attractive than the ship-breaking deals being offered by the market-leading yards in India and Bangladesh, Mr Hawke says they hold a trump card.
"All the big ship owners have signed up to some form of corporate responsibility, committing themselves to being seen to be acting in the environment's best interest," said Mr Hawke. "You might get a lot more money for a ship if you sell it to one of the yards in India or Bangladesh, but running a ship up on to a beach and then tearing it apart is not environmentally sound. And these days the world is watching."
Despite the added expense, offering environmentally friendly ship-breaking facilities has not cramped expansion for the Turkish or Chinese, who are world leaders in "green" compliant yards.
According to the Turkish Ship Recycling Association, which has 21 members, it is on target to recycle more than 1 million tonnes this year. Yet the sector is highly regulated by the government and all the yards must adhere to all the International Maritime Organization regulations on ship-breaking.
And in China, where the sector is also highly regulated, the market is so lucrative that last month the giant French conglomerate Veolia announced it was investing US$160 million (Dh587.6m) in a recycling facility capable of demolishing 800,000 tonnes of shipping, equivalent to 30 of the largest tankers, a year.
Last year, the UAE was the last port of call for more ships heading to the breakers' yard than any other country, according to a survey of the industry carried out by the shipping journal Lloyd's List. As a result, any new UAE industry, poised between Turkey and China, and on the doorstep of the eco-unfriendly subcontinent yards, could expect to corner up to 10 per cent of the global tonnage scrapped each year.
Last year, more than 40 million tonnes of ships were broken up, with scrap steel fetching $450 a tonne.
Big returns can be expected, says Mr Hawke. Industry watchers agree with his assessment.
"Cash-strapped ship owners will scrap younger and younger ships this year as the dry bulk market wallows in the doldrums," the United Kingdom's Drewry Maritime Researchstated in its latest report. A vessel as young as 15 years of age has already been sold for scrap in recent months, while the average scrapping age of Chinese-built bulk carriers was 21 years last year, it said.
Drewry does not expect an improvement in the freight market this year, predicting that the number of shipping companies getting into financial difficulty will only rise over the course of the year. "Demolitions in 2013 are expected to be more than what was seen in 2012, and the average scrapping age will fall even further as middle-aged vessels struggle to find employment," the report adds.
As well as cornering a substantial slice of the ship-recycling market, Mr Hawke believes a major facility in the UAE would generate business beyond the shipping industry.
"The steel industry in the region would be our natural customers," he said. "But because we would be well equipped to dispose of hazardous materials on an industrial scale, other industries who have issues in disposing of such waste, such as the aluminium and chemical industries, could become our customers, too."
As a result, such a facility would confer serious "green" credentials on the UAE Government, he said.
"Having such a card to play would ensure the UAE a seat at the top table wherever any environmental issues were being discussed," added Mr Hawke.
Last month the European Union voted in favour of rules to ensure European ships are recycled only in facilities that are safe for workers and environmentally sound.
Until now, most European-owned ships have ended up on the tidal beaches of South Asia. In 2009, more than 90 per cent of European ships were dismantled in ship recycling facilities in countries not members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has environmental standards for ship-breaking.
Because 17 per cent of world tonnage is registered under an EU flag, the parliament says improving ship-dismantling practices worldwide is long overdue.
"This proposal aims to ensure that our old ships are recycled in a way that respects the health of workers as well as the environment," said the EU environment commissioner, Janez Potocnik. "It is a clear signal to invest urgently in upgrading recycling facilities."
The new regulations will include a list of ship recycling facilities that must meet a set of environmental and safety requirements to be included. European ships will be allowed to be recycled only in facilities on the list.
dblack@thenational.ae
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 2 (Van Dijk 18', 24')
Brighton 1 (Dunk 79')
Red card: Alisson (Liverpool)
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
SOUTH%20KOREA%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EGoalkeepers%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKim%20Seung-gyu%2C%20Jo%20Hyeon-woo%2C%20Song%20Bum-keun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDefenders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKim%20Young-gwon%2C%20Kim%20Min-jae%2C%20Jung%20Seung-hyun%2C%20Kim%20Ju-sung%2C%20Kim%20Ji-soo%2C%20Seol%20Young-woo%2C%20Kim%20Tae-hwan%2C%20Lee%20Ki-je%2C%20Kim%20Jin-su%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMidfielders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPark%20Yong-woo%2C%20Hwang%20In-beom%2C%20Hong%20Hyun-seok%2C%20Lee%20Soon-min%2C%20Lee%20Jae-sung%2C%20Lee%20Kang-in%2C%20Son%20Heung-min%20(captain)%2C%20Jeong%20Woo-yeong%2C%20Moon%20Seon-min%2C%20Park%20Jin-seob%2C%20Yang%20Hyun-jun%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStrikers%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHwang%20Hee-chan%2C%20Cho%20Gue-sung%2C%20Oh%20Hyeon-gyu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Day 1, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Dimuth Karunaratne had batted with plenty of pluck, and no little skill, in getting to within seven runs of a first-day century. Then, while he ran what he thought was a comfortable single to mid-on, his batting partner Dinesh Chandimal opted to stay at home. The opener was run out by the length of the pitch.
Stat of the day - 1 One six was hit on Day 1. The boundary was only breached 18 times in total over the course of the 90 overs. When it did arrive, the lone six was a thing of beauty, as Niroshan Dickwella effortlessly clipped Mohammed Amir over the square-leg boundary.
The verdict Three wickets down at lunch, on a featherbed wicket having won the toss, and Sri Lanka’s fragile confidence must have been waning. Then Karunaratne and Chandimal's alliance of precisely 100 gave them a foothold in the match. Dickwella’s free-spirited strokeplay meant the Sri Lankans were handily placed at 227 for four at the close.
'Ashkal'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Youssef%20Chebbi%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fatma%20Oussaifi%20and%20Mohamed%20Houcine%20Grayaa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
RESULTS
2.15pm: Al Marwan Group Holding – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
2.45pm: Sharjah Equine Hospital – Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
3.15pm: Al Marwan Group Holding – Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Inthar, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
3.45pm: Al Ain Stud Emirates Breeders Trophy – Conditions (PA) Dh50,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: MH Rahal, Richard Mullen, Elise Jeanne
4.25pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Cup – Prestige Handicap (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: JAP Aneed, Ray Dawson, Irfan Ellahi
4.45pm: Sharjah Equine Hospital – Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Edaraat, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The%20Specs%20
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Company%20Profile
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ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
