Speaking at a press meet on board the ITF ship Global Mariner today, Greenpeace campaigner in India Nityanand Jayaraman said analysis of samples taken at shipbreaking yards at Lakdibunder in Mumbai and Alang in Gujarat has revealed the presence of a high level of heavy metals, potentially cancer-causing polycyclic hydrocarbons, toxic biocide tributyl and asbestos, which are harmful for workers. More so because of lack of safeguards for handling the contaminants, Jayaraman added.

He said there was a need to decontaminate the vessels before sending them to shipbreaking yards as per conditions covered under the Basel Convention and International Labour Organisation (ILO), of which India is a member country.

Other goals are to ensure thatasbestos-handling and flame-torch-cutting of steel plates are areas of immediate concern. The surface of the ship steel contains heavy metal paints, salts and organic compounds, and torch-cutting could result in cancer-causing fumes, added Jayaraman.

According to Greenpeace estimates, more than 400 workmen are killed in accidents at shipbreaking yards and many succumb to illnesses caused by contamination.

Speaking to Express Newsline, ITF assistant secretary genaral Mark Dikenson said the idea of the campaign is to bring about awareness and bring the government's focus to issues affecting workers at shipbreaking yards. The other aim is to reduce marine pollution along the shores due to shipbreaking, added Dikenson.

The London-based ITF represents 500 unions in shipping and allied activities in more than 125 countries, with more than one million seafarers and dockworkers counted in their ranks. The two organisations and other participating unions complement each other on the issue, and this couldgo a long way towards preventing pollution and safeguarding workers' interests, observers in the shipping industry said.

Nearly 350-400 ships are scrapped and sent to shipbreaking yards at Mumbai and Alang. These shipyards employ between 25,000 and 40,000 skilled and unskilled workmen and account for more than 15 percent of the country's steel production, sources said.

However, Iron Steel Scrap Shipbreakers' Association secretary M M Balakrishnan said lakhs of people are directly or indirectly absorbed in the recycling of scrap in the country. Some of the problems affecting workers are genuine and measures have been taken to reduce the hazardous occupational conditions to the minimum, Balakrishnan added.

Meanwhile, the ITF ship Global Mariner, berthed at Ballard Pier, has become a major tourist attraction over the last five days. More than 50,000 visitors have boarded the vessel to have a feel of sea-life, said ITF inspector Maruti Retaker told Express Newsline.