Published: May 15, 2008 11:16 am         

This is hardly the stuff of 'callous disregard'

This letter is written in response to a reader commentary published in the May 7 edition of the Times-News, in which a local company, Global Marketing Systems, was demonized as having a "callous disregard" for the environment and human health and safety due to their involvement with the ship recycling industry.

The author appears to have done his homework in researching the various news reports concerning ship recycling. South Asia is home to the vast majority of the world's ship breaking yards, and these facilities have experienced a great deal of negative press over the past decade, as well as international attention from such governing bodies as the United Nation's International Maritime Organisation (IMO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), and others.

Due to this attention and resulting market forces within the industry, the ship recycling industry has seen a great deal of positive change over the past decade and more is sure to follow.

Unfortunately, the author of the previous editorial has linked GMS to the worst reports that have been published on the industry. So, in fairness to GMS, I will tell the other side of this story.

I am personally aware of GMS's substantial efforts with regard to "Green" ship recycling, as my firm was contracted by GMS to help develop and implement programs designed to improve environmental and human safety practices in the ship recycling industry.

My contract with GMS ended some time ago, but as a result of my work in this area, I know that GMS has invested heavily in time and capital to develop multiple "Green' ship recycling strategies, which are in effect today. I also know that due to these efforts, GMS founder, Anil Sharma, is internationally recognized as a leading voice in the call for more environmentally safe practices, and regularly speaks on the benefits of "Green' ship recycling at international conferences, including those held by the IMO.

More specifically, local readers should be aware that GMS has been instrumental in the development of currently owns the Leela Recycling Yard in Alang India, which is owned by the brother of the founder of GMS. This yard is considered a model for "Green' ship recycling, having been toured with approval by officials delegates with the IMO this year. In fact, a recent article in Lloyds List - one of the world's leading newspaper for the maritime industry - labeled Leela as "India's first environmental shipbreaker."

In addition, GMS has founded Global Ship Recycling Solutions (GSR), a firm designed to provide mobile HAZMAT remediation services for ships located around the world. One of the leading European ship owners visited Cumberland to evaluate this program, subsequently calling GSR "DEAD ON." Additionally, a "Rear Admiral" from the U.S. Coast Guard (retired) called the GSR program "light years ahead of the industry standard."

These firms offer environmental solutions that are at the forefront of new practices within this industry, and GMS has in fact, been a leading voice in the call for change for years.

This is hardly the stuff of "callous disregard" and GMS should be given credit for its efforts to change this industry from within.

The shipping industry continues to move in the direction of "Green' practices as a whole, and GMS continues to play a leading role in promoting this change. So, let's not rush to celebrate in disgracing a local company, which is tangibly working to improve this global environmental and human safety challenge.

Ted Higson, managing partner
Highland Consulting Group, LLC