The International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Office for Pakistan invites proposals from qualified consultants to conduct a diagnostic study of the ship recycling value chain in Pakistan.
Objectives of the study
The assignment will support efforts to promote decent work, occupational safety and health, gender inclusion, and green transition within the sector. The study aims to assess the current state of the ship recycling value chain in Pakistan, identify policy and implementation gaps, and provide recommendations to address these shortcomings. The specific objectives of the study are:
- To map the stakeholders of the ship recycling industry value chain and understand their power dynamics.
- Assess policy and implementation gaps in the ship recycling value chain and propose recommendations to address these deficiencies, focusing on occupational safety and health (OSH), skills development, green transition capacity, women empowerment for SME development, and alternative livelihoods for downstream workers, Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW) and employment conditions.
- Identify the training needs to fulfil the shortcomings in relation to awareness on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (FPRW), Freedom of Association and Collective Bargaining (FoA&CB), just transition, green jobs and negotiation skills.
- Inform the development of a comprehensive action plan to promote decent work throughout the ship recycling value chain.
As explained, recommendations should target legal, and policy reforms required in the areas, along with concrete, practical actions that tripartite constituents can implement in the short term. They should be specific, tailored to the appropriate levels of government, and address the roles of social partners. These recommendations will serve as a foundation for developing an Action Plan aimed at promoting decent work throughout the value chain.
This consultancy is part of the ILO-IMO project “Safe and Environmentally Sound Ship Recycling and Decent Work (SENSREC-DW) in Pakistan” and will be completed over a four-month period.
Background
In 2023, Pakistan ratified the Hong Kong Convention (HKC), which entered into force on 26 June, and now faces the urgent task of aligning its practices with international standards. Globally, ship recycling is governed by multiple frameworks. The HKC, adopted by the IMO in 2009, mandates safe, environmentally sound recycling practices and requires ships to carry an Inventory of Hazardous Materials. Compliance will involve significant upgrades in Pakistani yards, including facility authorization and improved worker training.
The Basel Convention (1989) regulates hazardous waste movement and promotes environmentally sound management, while the ILO has issued guidelines and conventions to ensure occupational health and safety in shipbreaking. Pakistan’s upcoming ratification of key Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) conventions in 2025 is expected to support national efforts to reform the sector, enhance worker protection, and meet global standards.
