SHIPBREAKING

A DIRTY AND DANGEROUS INDUSTRY

SHIPBREAKING

A DIRTY AND DANGEROUS INDUSTRY

SHIPBREAKING

A DIRTY AND DANGEROUS INDUSTRY

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NGO_Shipbreaking

The NGO Shipbreaking Platform is a global coalition of organisations working to reverse the environmental harm and human rights abuses caused by current shipbreaking practices and to ensure the safe and environmentally sound dismantling of end-of-life ships worldwide.

Just as the goods they transport, ships too become waste when they reach the end of their operational lives. Yet only a fraction is handled in a safe and clean manner. The vast majority of the world's end-of-life fleet, full of toxic substances, is simply broken down - by hand - on the beaches of South Asia. There, unscrupulous shipping companies exploit minimal enforcement of environmental and safety rules to maximise profits.

Ship owners from East Asia and Europe top the list of dumpers that sell ships for breaking on South Asian beaches.

In Bangladesh, India and Pakistan ships are broken apart directly on the beach instead of in an industrial site: a practice known as "beaching".

 

Since 2009:

 

7073
SHIPS BEACHED
425
DEATHS
329
INJURIES
ISSUES OF INTEREST
WHY SHIPS ARE TOXIC
FLAGS OF CONVENIENCE
CHILD LABOUR
CLEAN AND SAFE SOLUTIONS

SPOTLIGHT

The Toxic Tide – 2020 Shipbreaking Records

2020 shipbreaking records: most shipping companies continue to opt for the highest price at the worst scrapping yards.

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Where ships go to die – Winner of the Public Eye Investigation Award

Decommissioned deep-sea vessels are floating toxic waste. Their disposal is laborious and costly, and regarded as a menace by those who want to protect both the workers… Read More

Maersk’s toxic trade: the North Sea Producer case

In August 2016 the FPSO NORTH SEA PRODUCER was beached in Chittagong, Bangladesh. The ship was allowed to leave the UK based on false claims that it… Read More

The controversial case of the Harrier: holding business to account

It all started with an anonymous letter informing us that the EIDE CARRIER was sold for scrap. Having been laid up for many years on the Norwegian… Read More

Newsroom

Brussels, Jan 13th 2022

Press Release – NGOs join local residents and First Nations in fight against toxic shipbreaking in British Columbia

NGO Shipbreaking Platform calls on authorities to halt shipbreaking activities at Union Bay.

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NGO_Shipbreaking
Brussels, Dec 01st 2021

Press Release – The EU agrees: the recycling of ships is a matter of 
global environmental justice

The Basel Convention’s ban on the export of toxic ships to developing countries reestablished

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Brussels, Nov 30th 2021

Platform News – Platform launches fundraising campaign for afflicted workers

We are calling for your support to help injured workers and asbestos victims in Bangladesh.

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Brussels, Oct 18th 2021

Platform publishes South Asia Quarterly Update #27

Nineteen workers suffered an accident on South Asian beaches in the third quarter of 2021.

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Chattogram, Oct 05th 2021

Press Release – Record-breaking number of fatalities on the beach of Chattogram

At least seven workers lost their lives while scrapping vessels on the beach of Chattogram in what is the worst quarter in terms of number of accidents… Read More

Stockholm, Sep 30th 2021

Platform News – Platform’s member organisation LIFE wins 2021 Right Livelihood Award

Legal Initiative for Forest and Environment (LIFE) has been awarded the Alternative Nobel Prize

... Read More
Aliaga, Sep 17th 2021

Press Release – NGOs denounce death toll of shipbreaking and call for an urgent move of the industry to safe and sustainable platforms

In the last weeks, seven workers tragically died while dismantling vessels in Bangladesh and Turkey.    Five workers were killed and three severely injured in seven separate… Read More

Brussels, Aug 25th 2021

Press Release – NGOs urge Greece and Bangladesh to stop illegal beaching of ferry

Yet another passenger ship is heading towards the shipbreaking beaches of South Asia, in clear violation of European rules that are aimed at preventing the trade of… Read More