VOA常速英语2008年-Ocean Liner's Final Voyage to Asia Under Scruti

By Steve Herman
New Delhi
29 February 2008

A disabled passenger ship being towed across the Pacific Ocean is rekindling¹ debate about how such vessels³ are scrapped⁵. VOA correspondent Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.

A once glorious ocean liner is finding rough sailing as it is towed across the Pacific, likely en route to South Asia to be dismantled⁶ and sold for scrap⁴.

The vessel², formerly⁷ the S.S. Independence, is the last U.S.-built ocean liner to sail under the American flag. After being laid up in San Francisco for the past six years it is apparently⁸ on a final voyage to India, Pakistan or Bangladesh, the hub of the world's ship-breaking industry.

Environmentalists say the 20,000 ton vessel is on a rogue⁹ journey, because it is in breach¹⁰ of U.S. and international laws that prohibit the export of toxic¹¹ waste.

Jim Puckett is with the toxic trade watchdog group, Basel Action Network, which sounded the alarm to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency after the liner's fog-shrouded departure on February 8 from San Francisco Bay.

"We have basically a fugitive¹² ship being towed," he said. "They have gone dark. They've turned off their satellite beacon¹³ after they got word that the EPA was interested in seizing it and testing it for polychlorinated biphenyls, a very toxic persistent¹⁴ organic compound which is illegal to export in any form from the United States."

Independent industry experts do not dispute that a ship of that vintage would contain tons of PCB's in its wiring, gaskets, coolants, lubricants and paint. In addition, they say, it is also likely to hold tons of asbestos insulation¹⁵.

Lieutenant¹⁶ Marcus Hirschberg of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector¹⁷ Guam says authorities are monitoring the 58-year-old vessel as it heads toward the U.S. island territory of Guam.

"We have heard through Coast Guard Legal (division) that there's a possibility there was a breach of export law," he said. "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is the lead agency on those regulations and we will work closely with them if there are actions that they need to take. But right now I'm not aware of any course of action that's planned."

The SS Independence was a favorite of celebrities¹⁸ crossing the Atlantic in the final years before ocean travel gave way to the jet set. The Independence later spent years crisscrossing the Hawaiian islands as a cruise ship.

After American Global Lines went bankrupt in 2001, the Independence, built in 1950 at a cost of $50 million, was sold at auction¹⁹ for $4 million to Norwegian Cruise Lines, which later changed the ship's name to Oceanic. That company tells VOA News it sold the Independence last year to a broker²⁰ who then placed it with "an unknown buyer." But current U.S. government records and those of Lloyds Maritime²¹ Intelligence Unit show the ship as still being owned by a Florida-based affiliate²² of Norwegian Cruise Lines (called California Manufacturing Corporation).

Preservationists in the United States have campaigned for such historic vessels to be preserved as floating museums, but that takes a lot of money. For the owners of such ships the current high prices for metals make scrapping²³ them a more lucrative²⁴ option.

Officials say any toxic materials on board would only be a general hazard when they are exposed during the ship's demolition²⁵.

South Asia's ship-breakers have come under intense international scrutiny²⁶ in recent years. Scenes of bare-handed and barefoot workers with no protective equipment tearing apart toxic-laden vessels prompted calls for reform in India and elsewhere.

India's Supreme²⁷ Court ordered stricter regulations on safety and health. The justices demanded adherence²⁸ to the 1989 Basel Convention on Hazardous²⁹ Waste and other international agreements banning the import of numerous hazardous substances. A 1995 amendment³⁰ prohibits developed countries from sending hazardous waste to developing nations, even for recycling.

Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network says the Indian high court's directives are not being followed.

"Following that ruling, 53 ships have been beached," he noted³¹. "So they're just ignoring the Supreme Court with impunity³². As far as international law goes, there is no international law. There are guidelines and they are ignoring them right, left and center."

At the Alang ship-breaking yard in the Indian state of Gujarat, Jay Joshi, a director of Soham Overseas, which purchases vessels for demolition, argues however that his industry has turned a new leaf, is complying with the Indian Supreme Court order and following international guidelines.

"Alang has got the green passport so there is no problem of recycling any kind of vessel," he said. "Most of the breakers have got the ISO (International Standards Organization) certification for safety and environment."

And Joshi says workers in the top Indian ship-breaking port are now supplied with adequate protective wear.

"Safety boots, clothes, masks, helmets and hand gloves - everything has been provided by all the breakers," he said.

In recent years Alang lost substantial business to neighboring Bangladesh, which depends on the industry for its domestic steel and is known to offer higher prices for retiring vessels. Some environmentalists say environmental and safety regulations are more lax in Bangladesh's Chittagong ship-breaking yard.

Pakistan is the third largest ship-breaker, mainly specializing in oil tankers³³ and other large tonnage vessels.

The industry is expecting its fortunes to rise in the years ahead as single-hull oil tankers are phased out under international regulations. Environmentalists say they will monitor South Asia's ship-breakers to ensure they comply with global standards and adequately protect workers.

1 rekindling   

v.使再燃( rekindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• There might be a rekindling of the kind of nationalistic fervour of yesteryear. 过去的国家主义狂热可能再次被点燃。 来自互联网
• Bryant and O'Neal on the floor at the same time, rekindling memories both good and bad. 科比和奥尼尔在地板上在同一时间，死灰复燃的回忆有好有坏。 来自互联网

2 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

5 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

6 dismantled   

拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消

参考例句：

• The plant was dismantled of all its equipment and furniture. 这家工厂的设备和家具全被拆除了。
• The Japanese empire was quickly dismantled. 日本帝国很快被打垮了。

7 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

8 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

9 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

10 breach   

n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破

参考例句：

• We won't have any breach of discipline.我们不允许任何破坏纪律的现象。
• He was sued for breach of contract.他因不履行合同而被起诉。

11 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

12 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

13 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

14 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

15 insulation   

n.隔离；绝缘；隔热

参考例句：

• Please examine the insulation of the electric wires in my house.请检查一下我屋子里电线的绝缘情况。
• It is always difficult to assure good insulation between the electric leads.要保证两个电触头之间有良好的绝缘总是很困难的。

16 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

17 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

18 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

19 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

20 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

21 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

22 affiliate   

vt.使隶(附)属于；n.附属机构，分公司

参考例句：

• Our New York company has an affiliate in Los Angeles.我们的纽约公司在洛杉矶有一个下属企业。
• What is the difference between affiliate and regular membership?固定会员和附属会员之间的区别是什么？

23 scrapping   

刮，切除坯体余泥

参考例句：

• He was always scrapping at school. 他在学校总打架。
• These two dogs are always scrapping. 这两条狗总是打架。

24 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

25 demolition   

n.破坏,毁坏,毁坏之遗迹

参考例句：

• The church has been threatened with demolition for years. 这座教堂多年来一直面临拆毀的威胁。
• The project required the total demolition of the old bridge. 该项目要求将老桥完全拆毁。

26 scrutiny   

n.详细检查，仔细观察

参考例句：

• His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
• Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。

27 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

28 adherence   

n.信奉，依附，坚持，固着

参考例句：

• He was well known for his adherence to the rules.他因遵循这些规定而出名。
• The teacher demanded adherence to the rules.老师要求学生们遵守纪律。

29 hazardous   

adj.(有)危险的，冒险的；碰运气的

参考例句：

• These conditions are very hazardous for shipping.这些情况对航海非常不利。
• Everybody said that it was a hazardous investment.大家都说那是一次危险的投资。

30 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

31 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

32 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。

33 tankers   

运送大量液体或气体的轮船[卡车]( tanker的名词复数 )； 油轮； 罐车； 油槽车

参考例句：

• They should stop offloading waste from oil tankers into the sea. 他们应当停止从油轮上往海里倾倒废弃物。
• The harbour admits large tankers and freighters. 这个港口容得下巨型油船和货轮。