Asbestos Handling Services
Overview
Asbestos is a prevalent menace, also globally recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a detrimental occupational carcinogen. Asbestos causes around 255.000 deaths every year worldwide, of which the vast majority are associated with work-related exposure.Asbestos is a group of six naturally occurring minerals known for being a very good thermal insulator and increasing the energy efficiency of the building. It is highly resistant to fire and does not burn easily. Hence, it was pervasively used and is one of the most common hazardous materials found onboard vessels ranging from fireproof insulations, gaskets, brake linings, seals, and cements. Despite asbestos having been banned from ships, recent estimates indicate that it is still found in over 65% of vessels, including 50% of all new builds.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) amended the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 (Adoption: 6 December 2000, Entry into force: 1 July 2002), targeting to confront the asbestos issues. For ships built between July 2002 and January 2011, for all ships, new installation of materials which contain asbestos shall be prohibited (with few exceptions) and if any Asbestos Contained Materials (ACMs) were found on-board, a three-year window period was given for its safe removal. For all ships, the regulation prohibits all new installation of asbestos on board ships.
Asbestos Handling Services
A proper abatement plan must be implemented in order to deal with ACMs. For a shipowner the whole process can be distressing and not to mention expensive, however, if proper step by step regulatory procedures are followed, ACMs can be dealt with and managed in the most cost-effective manner.
We at Verifavia, help empower shipowners to deal with ACMs onboard through our various Asbestos Handling Services:
- Preparation of Asbestos Management Plans (AMPs)
- Asbestos Resampling services
- Asbestos Removal services (along with supervision and management)
- Asbestos Disposal services
What Verifavia Shipping can do for you
Our team of Hazmat experts and certified Asbestos handling teams are present on all major trading routes around the globe and can assist in:
Reviewing ACMs present onboard and develop a customized Asbestos Management Plan as per regulatory and specific Flag requirements.Once the AMP has been prepared, it must be submitted to the Flag State for review and granting dispensation for the safe carriage of asbestos by the vessel for a certain period (up to 3 years maximum from the date of detection of asbestos).
Once dispensation is granted by flag state, vessel owner / manager can then plan for removal of asbestos by a certified asbestos removal company at a convenient port / shipyard.
We stand at 100% dispensation grant record for AMPs developed so far for various Flag States (including DMA and Netherlands).
To ensure accurate representation of ACMs onboard, Asbestos Resampling Projects were undertaken (in conjunction with multiple approved Laboratories around the world) with results largely in favor of the shipowners thus significantly mitigating costs incurred during removal of ACMs.
Furthermore, we have successfully carried out 130+ multiple Asbestos Removal Projects (under certified asbestos handling facilities), 100+ Asbestos Disposal Projects (under an approved disposal facility) and 80+ Asbestos Resampling Projects. Also we stand at 100% dispensation grant record for more than 200 AMPs developed so far for various Flag States (including DMA and Netherlands) thus encompassing all ACMs related services under one roof ensuring end to end regulatory compliance at all levels. Reach out to us for your customized Asbestos Handling Plan now!
Regulation & Criteria
- SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-5
- MSC Circ. 1045 - Guidelines for maintenance and monitoring of on-board materials containing asbestos
- IMO MSC.1/Circ.1379 - Unified Interpretation of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-5 (concerning asbestos in stores)
- IMO MSC.1/Circ.1426 Unified Interpretation of SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-5 (concerning likely components, evidence and documentation)
- IMO MSC.1/Circ.1374 Information on Prohibiting the Use of Asbestos on board ships (includes how to manage asbestos found on ships not in compliance with SOLAS)
- International Association of Classification Society (IACS), Procedural Requirement 41 Reporting on existence of asbestos on board
