OECD Council Working Party on Shipbuilding (WP6) ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES IN THE SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY

This report examines a number of environmental, climate change and sustainable development (green growth) issues that are affecting the shipbuilding industry. The report notes that like other heavy fabricating sectors shipbuilding involves the use of materials and manufacturing practices that can impact on the environment, can contribute to climate change. The report also points out that as well as the construction phase ships can have such impact throughout their lives (which can extend to 30 or more years), and during their disposal. Taking a holistic approach to ship construction could give the shipbuilding industry the opportunity of not only setting its own environmental agenda (rather than be forced by government or public pressure) but to also deal with such impacts more effectively, and perhaps even benefit commercially from associated innovations.