Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    president eisenhower fire

    NTSB Investigation: Crew insufficiently swaging compression fitting ferrule led to containership fire

    atsb preliminary report

    ATSB publishes preliminary report on product tanker breakaway and grounding

    SAFEMODE project: Ten good practices for enhancing Safety Learning

    SAFEMODE project: Ten good practices for enhancing Safety Learning

    recaap isc

    ReCAAP ISC: Three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    eu hydrogen plan

    EU’s hydrogen plan could do more harm than good, says T&E

    worker dies at chittagong

    EU Taxonomy & Ship Recycling

    transport and environment

    T&E: Sweden the clear leader in climate ambition

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    port of long beach

    Port of Long Beach, Amazon collaborate to improve cargo data

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    single window for ship data

    IMO: Single window for ship data exchange to become mandatory

    Drewry

    New collaboration to boost ports and terminals’ sustainability credentials

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    glencore

    Glencore pleas guilty to foreign bribery and market manipulation

    ship owner guilty environmental crime

    US: Ship owner and operator plead guilty to environmental and safety crimes

    us seizes oil from tanker

    US seizes oil from Russian tanker

    captain arrested

    Ship captain faces life imprisonment after being charged with importing drugs

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    port of long beach

    Port of Long Beach, Amazon collaborate to improve cargo data

    european commission

    European Commission’s President: World has to diversify away from fossil fuels

    WiGS: Diversity, inclusion and equality are the key words for the maritime industry to remain competitive

    All Aboard Alliance: Stakeholders collaborate for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive maritime industry

    mol nyk plastic

    Plastic recycling plant to be constructed at port of Rotterdam by the end of 2022

  • Columns
    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    worker dies at chittagong

    EU Taxonomy & Ship Recycling

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    president eisenhower fire

    NTSB Investigation: Crew insufficiently swaging compression fitting ferrule led to containership fire

    atsb preliminary report

    ATSB publishes preliminary report on product tanker breakaway and grounding

    SAFEMODE project: Ten good practices for enhancing Safety Learning

    SAFEMODE project: Ten good practices for enhancing Safety Learning

    recaap isc

    ReCAAP ISC: Three incidents of armed robbery against ships in Asia

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    eu hydrogen plan

    EU’s hydrogen plan could do more harm than good, says T&E

    worker dies at chittagong

    EU Taxonomy & Ship Recycling

    transport and environment

    T&E: Sweden the clear leader in climate ambition

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    port of long beach

    Port of Long Beach, Amazon collaborate to improve cargo data

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    single window for ship data

    IMO: Single window for ship data exchange to become mandatory

    Drewry

    New collaboration to boost ports and terminals’ sustainability credentials

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    glencore

    Glencore pleas guilty to foreign bribery and market manipulation

    ship owner guilty environmental crime

    US: Ship owner and operator plead guilty to environmental and safety crimes

    us seizes oil from tanker

    US seizes oil from Russian tanker

    captain arrested

    Ship captain faces life imprisonment after being charged with importing drugs

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    port of long beach

    Port of Long Beach, Amazon collaborate to improve cargo data

    european commission

    European Commission’s President: World has to diversify away from fossil fuels

    WiGS: Diversity, inclusion and equality are the key words for the maritime industry to remain competitive

    All Aboard Alliance: Stakeholders collaborate for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive maritime industry

    mol nyk plastic

    Plastic recycling plant to be constructed at port of Rotterdam by the end of 2022

  • Columns
    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

    worker dies at chittagong

    EU Taxonomy & Ship Recycling

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Fleet Safety to modernise maritime distress communication

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

The problems of shipbreaking in Bangladesh

by The Editorial Team
June 13, 2018
in Ship Recycling
modernize aging vessels

Above image is used for illustration purposes only

FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

Dirty and dangerous shipbreaking in Bangladesh has been strongly criticized both by global NGOs for many years, with marine pollution, hazardous waste dumping and unsafe working conditions, as well as the illegal exploitation of child workers, being among the key areas of concern.

Shipbreaking first grew into an industry in Bangladesh in the 1980s; however, it was not officially recognised – and thus not regulated – until 2011. In 2009, a land-mark decision by the Supreme Court ordered the closure of the shipbreaking industry in Chittagong, as none of yards held the necessary environmental clearance to operate, said the NGO Shipbreaking Platform in its latest annual report.

The yards re-opened based on false certifications and this is currently still being contested in the Courts. Despite laws existing in Bangladesh to protect both workers and the environment, these are poorly implemented due to lack of resources, such as a lack of labour inspectors, or are deliberately ignored as a result of industry pressure.

As explained, end-of-life vessels are imported with fake certificates claiming that they are free of hazardous materials, which consequently are not properly detected or safely removed. The World Bank has estimated that between 2010 and 2030 Bangladesh will have imported 79.000 tons of asbestos; 240.000 tons of PCBs and 69.200 tons of toxic paints that originate from end-of-life ships.

Furthermore, workers live in unsanitary and improper accommodation, working for long hours without holidays and usually without work contracts. In 2017, the Platform documented the stories of at least 15 workers who were killed and at least 22 who suffered severe injuries, due to suffocation, fires, falls from great height or workers crushed by falling parts of the ship.

RelatedNews

EU Taxonomy & Ship Recycling

Asian Shipowners’ Association: Need for early entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention

The closest specialised hospital is too far for emergencies and the injured workers in many cases do not automatically receive financial support for necessary medical treatment. The hospital building set up by the Bangladesh Shipbreakers Association is operated as a private clinic and can only treat minor injuries.

The Platform worked with the UK law firm Leigh Day to help a Bangladeshi shipbreaking worker claim compensation from London-based Zodiac Maritime for having suffered severe injuries while cutting one of Zodiac’s ships. The case attracted global interest, as it was the first time that a South Asian worker sought to hold a shipowner accountable. In December, the case was resolved through a settlement to the satisfaction of the worker.

This case has allowed a shipbreaking worker to access justice in an unprecedented way, and indicates the opportunities that may exist for other claims to be brought against shipping companies in the future.

Tags: BangladeshNGO ShipBreaking Platformship- recyclingworking conditions

Comments 2

  1. litesong says:
    4 years ago

    One lawsuit doesn’t give justice for the past or future atrocities to ship de-constructors. It must be seen that all international profiteers of ocean-going ship trade, must be responsible for ship birth to death costs, as well as human ship de-constructor deaths, injuries & suffering. No such worker abuse would be allowed with strong international unions in the trade. Ship owners have always shirked their responsibilities by “selling” ships, “selling” being the means by which the rich wipe their hands of sticky responsibility of unseaworthy marine wrecks. Wherever lots of marine ‘booty” is gained, is where monies must come to solve “de-constructor HELL”.

    Reply
    • Jace says:
      3 years ago

      ship Breaking is the only industry it that area, yes it is terrible of what happens to those men breaking the ships, but it gives jobs to those people.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

Wind Propulsion: Building a level playing field for the decarbonization of shipping

May 25, 2022
glencore

Glencore pleas guilty to foreign bribery and market manipulation

May 25, 2022
MARITIME EVENTS

Newsletter

GET THE SAFETY4SEA IN YOUR INBOX!

Explore

  • Safety
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • Events
  • Plus

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Contact

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Alerts
    • Accidents
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Opinions
    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Disclaimer.