I.S.R.A. Appoints Arjen Uytendaal Director

The International Ship Recycling Association has appointed maritime expert Arjen Uytendaal as Director. The Association was founded in 2007 by a group of stakeholders in the ship recycling industry made up of Processing Yards, Classification Societies and a Ship Owner. In order to achieve their goal of promoting green ship recycling - as opposed to the traditional beaching - the organization is now ready for the next step.

Arjen Uytendaal, former P&O Nedlloyd director and now independent maritime professional, will be tasked to promote I.S.R.A. among all stakeholders. “It is extremely important that I.S.R.A is recognized as the single authority representing all recycling yards in the world, working to the latest I.M.O. standards to achieve safe and environmentally sound ship recycling,” said Uytendaal.

The objective of I.S.R.A. is to promote worldwide ship dismantling at the highest environmental and technical standards and to unite the green ship dismantling yards worldwide. The Association has determined minimum standards and guidelines in line with I.M.O. for their members to adhere to. Certification of the member yards is in progress.

Asked about his view for the future of I.S.R.A., Uytendaal is clearly focused on the growth of the Association. “Not only do we aim for as many green ship recycling yards as possible, but also for a large number of associated members, those who express their willingness to support the Association like responsible ship owners,” he said. “We need a strong international platform of all stakeholders in green ship recycling to show the world that an alternative to traditional beaching is possible. The ultimate goal is a level playing field where ships are being dismantled across the globe in an environmentally sound way.

Arjen Uytendaal graduated from the Amsterdam Maritime College in 1980 and joined Nedlloyd as a Navigational Officer. He worked for Nedlloyd, P&O Nedlloyd, Reederei Blue Star in Hamburg and for Blue Star Ship Management, a 100% subsidiary of P&O Nedlloyd. From 2002 till November 2006 Uytendaal was, as Director of Fleet Management, responsible for world-wide Fleet Management for all P&O Nedlloyd ships. Leaving P&O Nedlloyd he founded his own management and consultancy company. He is a guest lecturer at the Netherlands Maritime University in Rotterdam for the Master Shipping and Transport modules Fleet Management and The process of Shipbuilding, Sale and Purchase.

I.S.R.A’s goals are:
•    Combine the strongest responsible yards of the globe
•    Show the alternative to traditional scrapping as practiced in the Indian subcontinent.
•    Create a level playing field globally
•    Speak as one voice in IMO and other sessions.
•    Promote marketing of sustainable ship recycling
•    Promote alliances with ship owners
•    Change the image of the dismantling industry
•    Strength through joining forces
•    Make use of existing green capacity

The initiative to found I.S.R.A. was the responsibility of Tom Peter Blankestijn (public affairs Maersk Management) and Bernard Veldhoven (Dutch Environmental Lawyer) and has led to the formal incorporation of the association by the founding fathers on 22nd October, 2007 in The Hague, The Netherlands.

One of the main objectives is to expand the association with members from all over the world including the Indian subcontinent under the condition that all members meet the same standards for sustainable ship recycling and meet the certification requirements I.S.R.A has developed for its members. Candidate members can join I.S.R.A if they are willing to upgrade their yards to the I.S.R.A. standard within a period of one to two years and to commit themselves to the necessary investments.