Now Reading: Safety gaps persist in Bangladesh shipbreaking despite global rules
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Safety gaps persist in Bangladesh shipbreaking despite global rules
Safety gaps persist in Bangladesh shipbreaking despite global rules
Ten workers were killed in southeast Bangladesh this month when toxic gas leaked from a ballast tank of an LNG tanker being dismantled at the Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda. The…
Ten workers were killed in southeast Bangladesh this month when toxic gas leaked from a ballast tank of an LNG tanker being dismantled at the Ferdous Steel Shipbreaking Yard in Sitakunda. The 30,770-tonne MT Rasi had passed required inspections by an international body and Bangladeshi officials before work began, according to the Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recyclers Association. Authorities have halted operations at the yard and fined its owners 500,000 taka ($4,100) for lacking current environmental clearance.
Bangladesh ratified the Hong Kong International Convention for safe ship recycling in June 2023 and has certified at least 23 yards as compliant. Yet at least 15 workers have been killed and 81 injured in 84 yard accidents since then, the Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies says. More than 470 workers have died globally in shipbreaking since 2009, per the NGO Shipbreaking Platform. The government is considering installing cameras and monitoring tools, but no timeline has been set.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Bangladesh's shipbreaking yards, concentrated in Sitakunda, have long been among the world's most dangerous workplaces. The Hong Kong Convention, which Bangladesh ratified in June 2023, was meant to change that by mandating pre-cleaning inspections and yard certification. Yet the MT Rasi accident shows certification alone is insufficient when enforcement is weak. The state-run Bangladesh Ship Recycling Board is the primary regulator, but it blames workers for flouting rules, while unions point to yard owners and government inspectors. The International Maritime Organization is backing a project to introduce automation and monitoring, but no timeline exists. The outcome of the investigation into the MT Rasi deaths will determine whether the government strengthens oversight or maintains the status quo.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
