Understanding The Ship Recycling Process

Maritime vessels have a limited operational life. In general, the life of passenger ships, container vessels, and warships is a minimum of 25 years. This is the period when such vessels can be operated smoothly with the proper prescribed maintenance and service. Their performance can be considered to be at its peak during this period.

However, ships are often operated for a longer period, and some of them sail for 30 years while others are used for up to 50 years. As they come close to the end of this period, ships start showing signs of irreversible damage. Quite often, this is the period when such ships are docked for costly and time-consuming repairs.

By this time, the maintenance and repair costs of ships go up dramatically. Also, with the advancements in ship technology, old ships quickly become outdated unless they are refitted with the latest technology – another very costly affair.