Tag: Bangladesh

The ship breaking activity in developing countries, such as India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, has been subject to criticism because of the negative impacts the industry has on the environment and workers. Now, a report by the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai found that there has been little improvements in the shipbreaking yards with regards to working conditions. It also presents several breaches of the national legal framework.

Two workers lost their lives at a shipbreaking yard in in Bangladesh, on Saturday, October 12. According to local sources, the probable cause of the deaths may have been that they inhaled toxic gas. Dangerous shipbreaking in Bangladesh is a great area of concern for human rights organizations and working unions around the world, over the unsafe working conditions and polluting ship dismantling practices.

Two workers were killed and several others were injured in a Chittagong shipbreaking yard, in Bangladesh, after falling from height while attempting to climb an old ship. The incident was reported at Ziri Subedar ship-breaking yard in Sitakunda, on Saturday evening. 

The Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Bangladesh, according to which the former will evaluate investments in and provide assistance in operations to the South Asian nation’s expanding port sector.

As the NGO Shipbreaking Platform informed via its twitter account, three workers lost their lives and at least six were injured because of a toxic gas leak at a shipbreaking yard in Chattogram, Bangladesh. The incident took place on July 31, at the shipbreaking yard of MAK Corporation.

After a worker lost his life while cutting the ship 'Ever Union' at a shipbreaking yard in Bangladesh, on July 23, Evergreen released a press statement expressing sympathy for this loss of life and for any other resulting from an industrial accident. It also disclaimed any responsibility, as the ship had been already in the hands of a buyer who had provided assurances that the breakers yard concerned is a certified Green-Ship Recycling shipyard.

According to VesselsValue, in the first six months of 2019, 201 cargo vessels were sold for demolition, 75% were scrapped in Bangladesh or India, with the former having the majority share. In comparison to 2018's first six months, scrapping decreased by 18%. 

On July 23, a cutter man died while working at Kabir Steel’s Khawja shipbreaking yard in Chittagong, Bangladesh. According to local sources, Shahidul was cutting the container ship Ever Union, when he fell from a great height. The Ever Union was sold for scrapping for more than $10 million. Before reaching the shore, the ship was renamed Vera and changed registry to the Paris MoU black-listed flag of Palau. 

Bangladesh is the top dumping location for discarded ships globally, with the country scrapping the highest number of ships in the first half of the 2019, according to a report from the NGO Shipbreaking Platform. The report highlights that from the total 374 ships that were broken in the first half of 2019, 156 were broken in Bangladesh.

In line with the Government's vision of promoting Inland Waterways, India inaugurated the first of its kind movement where an Indian inland waterways is being used for connecting two countries – landlocked Bhutan and Bangladesh.