Naval & Maritime

The naval and maritime sector has one of the most significant histories of asbestos use of any industry. From the early 1900s through to the 1980s, asbestos was considered indispensable in shipbuilding due to its exceptional resistance to fire, heat, and seawater corrosion. Ships were among the most asbestos-intensive structures ever built, with thousands of individual ACMs installed in engine rooms, boiler spaces, accommodation areas, and throughout hull structures. The workers who built, maintained, and dismantled these vessels — along with those who worked in the port buildings and dockyard facilities surrounding them — were exposed to some of the highest asbestos fibre concentrations recorded in any occupation.

Shipyards and dockyards present a particularly complex contamination legacy. Decades of cutting, spraying, and fitting asbestos insulation in enclosed ship compartments released vast quantities of fibres that contaminated not only the vessels themselves but also the surrounding dockyard buildings, workshops, and even the soil and sediment of dock basins. Many historic shipyard sites remain heavily contaminated, requiring extensive remediation before redevelopment. Port facilities face similar challenges, with terminal buildings, warehouses, and harbour infrastructure containing ACMs that deteriorate under harsh marine conditions.

The ongoing challenge extends to decommissioning and ship-breaking activities, where vessels built during the peak asbestos era are dismantled. International regulations such as the Hong Kong Convention and EU Ship Recycling Regulation aim to ensure safe management of asbestos during ship recycling, but enforcement varies globally. For port operators and dockyard owners, managing the asbestos legacy requires specialised maritime expertise, understanding of both onshore and vessel-based ACMs, and compliance with overlapping maritime and occupational health regulations.