South Africa plans ship recycling site on its west coast

Sam Chambers September 22, 2020

1,784 Less than a minute

South Africa is planning to create a Hong Kong Convention compliant ship recycling facility on its west coast.

The site – to be called 34South – will be located in the Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone, offering a prime location for end-of-life vessels passing through the Cape of Good Hope and bypassing the tolls of the Suez Canal.

The 34South facility will use a ship lifting system, ensuring that vessels are decommissioned in an environmentally safe manner compared to the beaching method widely used in south Asia.

The 34South planned facility is supported by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa, as its largest shareholder.

Sam Chambers

Starting out with the Informa Group in 2000 in Hong Kong, Sam Chambers became editor of Maritime Asia magazine as well as East Asia Editor for the world’s oldest newspaper, Lloyd’s List. In 2005 he pursued a freelance career and wrote for a variety of titles including taking on the role of Asia Editor at Seatrade magazine and China correspondent for Supply Chain Asia. His work has also appeared in The Economist, The New York Times, The Sunday Times and The International Herald Tribune.