GMS Highlights Safety- Training and Sustainability at Capital Link Maritime Forum in Dubai
Global Marketing Systems (GMS), the world’s largest buyer of ships for recycling, used the platform of the Capital Link Maritime Forum in Dubai to underline its role in improving safety, operational discipline and sustainability across the global ship recycling industry. Speaking during a conversation with Mr. Nicolas Bornozis, President of Capital Link, Dr. Anil Sharma, Chief Sustainability Officer at GMS, addressed long-standing misconceptions surrounding the sector and outlined the company’s efforts to drive meaningful change.
Dr. Sharma noted that ship recycling is frequently misunderstood, often judged by outdated perceptions rather than current realities. He emphasized that, over the past decade, the industry has undergone significant transformation, with leading players adopting far higher standards of safety, environmental protection and transparency. According to Dr. Sharma, GMS has been at the forefront of this shift by working closely with recycling yards, regulators and international stakeholders to promote responsible practices.
A key focus of his remarks was GMS’s large-scale investment in workforce training. Dr. Sharma revealed that the company has trained more than 11,000 ship recycling yard workers at no cost, an initiative designed to improve on-site safety, enhance technical skills and build long-term capacity within the industry. These training programs cover critical areas such as safe cutting practices, handling of hazardous materials, use of personal protective equipment, and emergency response procedures.
“People are central to sustainable ship recycling,” Dr. Sharma said, stressing that improving worker awareness and competence directly translates into safer yards and better environmental outcomes. He added that providing free training reflects GMS’s belief that responsible recycling must go beyond compliance and focus on creating lasting value for workers and local communities.
The discussion also touched on the future of sustainable ship recycling, with Dr. Sharma highlighting the growing importance of international frameworks such as the Hong Kong International Convention. He explained that GMS supports higher global standards and works with yards that are upgrading their infrastructure and processes to meet stricter environmental and social requirements.
The conversation between Dr. Sharma and Mr. Bornozis, captured during the Dubai forum, offered industry leaders and stakeholders a clearer view of how GMS approaches safety, training and sustainability as interconnected priorities. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and shipowners place greater emphasis on responsible end-of-life solutions, GMS positioned its initiatives as a practical model for advancing safer and more sustainable ship recycling worldwide.
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