Shipbreaking is a global problem that requires urgent attention.

Pollution, asbestos and accidents are among the problems

Bangladesh Scrap trade prepares for a bonanza when ships age

Tahmid Zami Tahmid Zami

On 15 km of coastline, Sitakunda is home to 30 ship-breaking yards. These yards recycle 38% of all dead ships in the world and provide steel scraps to Bangladesh's flourishing manufacturing industry.

Jamal Uddin (40), a senior cutter at his local yard, said that cutting ships was one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.

Uddin, a Bangladeshi worker, has witnessed many of his colleagues suffer serious burns and broken limbs when dismantling the steel vessels sent by wealthy ship-owning countries to Bangladesh.

The industry is bracing itself for a new, big economic boost as many of the old ships are nearing the end of their lives.

According to a report from the Climate Group and PWC, in the next decade, 15,000 ships, or one eighth of the global fleet, will be recycled. This is twice as much as in the last decade.

Anand Hiremath is the chief sustainability officer of GMS. The company buys and sells old ships to South Asian shipbreakers.

EMISSIONS

If the global fleet were a nation, it would be the No. The world's No. 6 emitter is carbon dioxide, which warms the planet.

The International Maritime Organization has committed to reducing emissions by half in 2030 and turning it into a zero-emissions industry by 2050.

As part of a push for a more sustainable industry, new global regulations are being developed to make the dismantling and recycling of ships safer and more environmentally friendly.

Workers who recycle and cut up ships say that reform does not promise decent work or higher pay.

After a hard day of work, we barely get enough money to pay for our children's school fees or to go to the doctor. Uddin chose to remain anonymous, out of fear that his employer would be punished.

The majority of the global shipbreaking will be done by yards located in Sitakunda, Bangladesh, or Alang in Gujarat in India. Together they account for 70% of all global ship breaking.

Environmental harm is common with toxic chemicals seeping through the water and onto beaches, harming marine animals.

Accidents can occur when workers use high temperature torches to gouge the panels of a ship, and exposure to asbestos or other hazardous substances may have long-term effects on health.

In September, a fire at the Sitakunda Shipyard killed seven workers.

According to the NGO Shipbreaking Platform (a coalition of environmental rights and labour groups with headquarters in Brussels), since 2009, more than 470 workers in South Asia have died in shipbreaking yards.

In Bangladesh, India and Pakistan, the industry employs 30,000 workers, most of whom are low-paid casual workers.

The recent accident has shown that there is still a lot to be done to provide a safe working environment for workers who are involved in shipbreaking, said Fazlul Mintu of Bangladesh Institute of Labour Studies. BILS works with shipbreakers and yard owners to improve the safety of their workplaces.

The IMO will introduce new regulations in June, known as the Hong Kong Convention, to address risks faced by workers and govern the management of hazardous substances.

Owners will be required to document all hazardous materials in a vessel before it is recycled.

Making Jobs Decent

Mohammad Ali, the founder of Bangladesh Metalworkers' Federation's (BMF), the first shipyard union in the country, says that workers also want to be paid more and receive better benefits.

The average wage for Sitakunda workers is less than $5 per precarious eight-hour workday. Ali added that most also work temporarily without ID cards, and do not receive paid leave.

He said that many must work longer hours in order to make enough money, which puts them at higher risk for accidents.

Workers who are killed at work receive compensation of about 5,740 Taka (700,000 Taka).

This is less than the average household's annual spending, and it does not include pensions.

Zahidul Haque in his 70s lost his son Abdur Rashid, a junior cutter, when fire broke out at Pakiza Shipyard about a decade back.

He said, "We received compensation of only 100,000 Taka ($820), but now that our only earning member is gone, no one will look after us."

Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman of HR Ship Management, which helps yards become compliant with regulations, says that yard owners and their governments must be on board to improve safety, waste management, and workers' rights.

He said that while Bangladesh has lagged behind in efforts to clean up its industry, Indian yards have received government funding and support from foreign sources.

Rich companies, which own the majority of ships, are also being asked to share in the high costs of transition.

(source: Reuters)