EU beaching ban would be counterproductive

A CAMPAIGN is underway to persuade the European Commission not to ban beaching as a method of scrapping ships. One of the most prominent advocates of continuing to beach ships is GMS, which describes itself as the world's largest buyer of ships. It buys redundant vessels for cash and then sends them to the shipbreaking, or more politically correct "recycling", yards.

Most shipbreaking yards use the beaching technique, running the vessel up onto the beach or a concrete apron at some speed, rather than use a drydock for obvious reasons of cost.

So GMS has a clear interest in attempting to sway the views of the Commission. That said, the points GMS makes are valid.