Up to 2,000 vessels could be setting out on their final voyages next year, Henning Gramman, head of ship recycling at Germanisher Lloyd’s, told a conference in London recently, according to Lloyd’s List. According to Gramman, about 1,200 vessels could be scrapped this year.
   However, the statistics are not conclusive, and the actual number is probably significantly higher. Based on a world merchant fleet of around 50,000 vessels and with 14 per cent of the ships being 25 years or older, a likely yearly volume would be 1,600–1,700 vessels on average.