Tag: turkey

Press Release – Fatal accidents in Aliağa continue to raise serious concerns on Turkish shipbreaking yards’ safety

Posted on by Nicola Mulinaris

In the last four months, Aliağa ship recycling workers have faced three tragic fatal accidents. Despite repeated warnings by civil society organisations, inadequate occupational safety measures, insufficient inspections, and weak enforcement of labour and environmental regulations continue to threaten the lives of workers and cause accidents that could have been prevented. 

Several members of the Turkish Parliament join the NGOs in denouncing the conditions at the shipbreaking yards and call on the European Union to revoke approval of such practices.  

"During meetings we held in Aliağa, almost every worker shared a ‘near-miss’ story. With wages that are below the poverty line, workers are forced to accept constant risk of occupational death. While it is impossible for the Ministry of Labour and Social Security not to be aware of this situation, the responses we receive to our parliamentary questions are limited to ‘copy-and-paste’ reminders of existing legislation. Moreover, although the necessary regulations have not been implemented, EU certifications are still in place. To stop occupational deaths and ensure decent wages, it is imperative that workers trust one another, unite, and act in an organised manner. We will continue to stand by workers’ struggle and to amplify their voices and their fight."
Iskender Bayhan - Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey - The Labour Party

On 11 January, Salih Ataman, 49, died at Blade ship recycling yard in Aliağa, Turkey, when a massive hook detached from a crane and fell on him. Salih Ataman was dismantling the Discoverer Americas, a drillship owned by US-based Transocean Ltd.

Last year, another fatal accident occurred on 13 November at the EU-listed Temurtaşlar yard, where the Dolphin Leader, a ship owned by Dolphin Drilling [1], was being dismantled. Unaware that another worker was cutting the hull on the upper section of the vessel, Hasan Aktepe, 44, died when a large cut-off metal piece fell on him. According to the information provided by the workers from Temurtaşlar, the dismantling of the Dolphin Leader was conducted with lump-sum payments where a bonus is provided if the ship is dismantled rapidly. As highlighted in our report on the conditions at the Turkish ship recycling yards, this practice incentivises an increased pace and prolonged working days in violation of set working hours and official leave times

On 2 October, Halil İbrahim Uz, employed by a subcontractor of İzmir Mavi Denizcilik Geri Dönüşüm ship recycling yard, fell from a height of five meters. Workers raised concerns that the ambulance took at least 45 minutes to arrive. Despite eventual medical intervention, Uz’s life could not be saved. He was 45 years old, married, and had children. 

These recent fatal accidents clearly show that Aliağa-based shipbreaking yards fail to provide essential safety provisions for their workers. The fact that accidents, which could have been avoided, also occur at EU-approved shipbreaking yards should prompt the European Commission to reassess the approval and the monitoring procedures of all Turkish ship recycling yards.  

"We reiterate our call to remove the Aliağa-based shipbreaking yards from the EU list until stricter procedures in terms of occupational safety and the containment of pollutants are put in place. The fact that fatalities and dangerous practices, including payment methods that encourage breaches of labour laws, occur also in EU-listed yards should raise concerns over the EU list’s credibility and the EU auditing procedures of Turkish ship recycling facilities. We cannot accept this double standard, nor that the death rate from workplace accidents in the Aliağa shipbreaking region has consistently been above the Turkish average. Certification of these human rights violations must be halted."
Asli Odman - Istanbul Worker's Health and Safety Watch

NOTES

 

[1] The Bideford Dolphin, an oil platform sent for dismantling to IŞIKSAN where İbrahim Karakaya lost his life in August 2024, and 10 other workers got injured due to a toxic gas leak, was owned by Dolphin Drilling as well.

Press Release: Need for reform of ship recycling sector in Turkey has never been more apparent after massive fire and waste dumping scandal revealed

Posted on by Nicola Mulinaris

In recent months, Turkey’s ship recycling sector has experienced significant movements. From controversies surrounding the sale of shipbreaking yards to the arrival of a UK Navy vessel, and now the fire aboard the decommissioned FSO Sloug, public concern has been mounting over safety, transparency, and environmental standards in Aliağa. 

 

Moreover, on 16 June 2024, a coalition of civil society organisations filed a criminal complaint against public authorities and ship recycling companies, which exposed years of environmental monitoring and health data, drawing from recent EU inspection reports and official Turkish documents. It alleges widespread regulatory failure and systemic misconduct across the shipbreaking sector in Aliağa, including crimes of deliberate environmental pollution, document falsification, and misconduct.

Fire on the SLOUG

 

On July 3rd, a fire erupted on the decommissioned FSO SLOUG, which had been left idle at the Simsekler yard in Aliağa for over two years with approximately 6,000 tons of petroleum still in its tanks. The ignition was triggered during cutting operations by the presence of residual petroleum—an entirely preventable accident had the vessel been properly cleaned and certified gas-free, following both Turkish and international law. 

"When we visited the ship recycling region, everywhere was invisible in black smoke. Workers were still working in the area. The fire was the predictable result of regulatory failure, and insufficient oversight."
Sonay Tezcan - Workers' Platform of the Aegean

Another Military Vessel in Aliağa

 

The Chambers of Chemical and Environmental Engineers have raised alarms over safety and environmental risks in Aliağa as another toxic warship arrives in Turkey to be dismantled at the yard Leyal. The HMS Bristol, a 1967 British Navy destroyer, carries hundreds of asbestos parts, lead-based paint, organotin antifouling coatings, CFC gases, and PCB-containing equipment. Its Inventory of Hazardous Materials lists over 400 asbestos items, 283 kg of lead paint, and 263.5 kg of toxic tributyltin (TBT), a banned compound harmful to marine life.

 

A recent BBC report revealed that two workers at Leyal — which dismantles most of the UK Navy’s decommissioned vessels — were diagnosed with occupational diseases, heightening concerns about toxic exposure and the lack of adequate worker protections.

 

"The arrival of HMS Bristol in Aliağa reflects a broader systemic failure. No ship should be dismantled here without strict oversight and protective measures. We are deeply concerned about the safe handling of hazardous materials on board. In line with both national laws and international obligations, particularly the Basel Convention, HMS Bristol should never have been brought to Turkey. It must be returned immediately. The UK Navy must adopt a transparent, sustainable ship recycling policy that protects the environment, public health, and workers’ rights."
Selma Akdoğan – Chamber of Environmental Engineers in Izmir

Criminal Complaint Demands Scrutiny in Aliağa

 

Amid growing public concern, a formal criminal complaint was submitted on 16 June 2025 by EGEÇEP (Aegean Environmental and Cultural Platform Association), İzmir Medical Chamber, DGD-SEN (Union of Dock, Shipyard, and Shipbreaking Workers), İzmir Chamber of Chemical Engineers, and İzmir Living Spaces Initiative. It documents years of violations in Aliağa’s shipbreaking zone, citing EU inspections and Turkish government reports.

 

It alleges environmental crimes including deliberate pollution, falsification of official documents, and abuse of public office. Key failures include lack of environmental reviews, unsafe dismantling, poor waste management, false reporting, and ongoing neglect of worker safety and public health. These recurring violations have caused what the complainants call “slow violence” against communities and nature. 

 

"Through its operations, the Ship Recycling facility has deliberately caused environmental pollution and continues to operate without fulfilling the legally required occupational health and safety conditions. In this context, a thorough investigation and prosecution must be carried out to address and remedy these systematic violations."
Hülya Yıldırım – Attorney in Environmental Law

Sale of the Aliağa Ship Recycling Zone

 

Last month, the disputed ownership of Aliağa Ship Recycling Zone reached a critical point. The 20-year rental agreement with TOKİ (Housing Development Administration of Turkey), expiring mid-2026, is sparking debate among public, political, and industry sectors. Ongoing disagreements and failed sales attempts have stalled decisions on the land’s future. On 28 February 2025, it was revealed that Aliağa Municipality acquired the property from a TOKİ-linked subsidiary.

 

The land was sold for 10.06 billion TL (€ 221.3 million) excluding VAT, with claims surfacing that it will later be resold to ship recycling companies with a 32% profit margin. It was stated that 80% of the acquisition process has been finalised, with full completion expected during summer 2025.

 

Mayor Serkan Acar clarified that APAŞ, the municipality’s petroleum subsidiary, is a private company, so municipal council votes are irrelevant to the land acquisition. He reiterated the municipality’s aim to regulate the area, suggesting a future where the zone evolves from dismantling to include maintenance and large-scale repair operations. According to the Mayor, “the most important issue—property ownership—has now been resolved. A sale is not currently on the table. Those who have long operated in this area will be prioritised in any future decisions.”

 

However, the acquisition sparked debate over its opaque process, funding, future land use, and why the land was sold to APAŞ instead of the municipality directly. Critics raised concerns about transparency and lack of public or parliamentary disclosure. Mayor Acar justified the acquisition by stating that when an open tender was previously considered, the facilities had expressed fear of land loss. He shared that the companies themselves requested the Municipality’s intervention to resolve the issue. 

 

Separately, inspections found 15,000 tons of hazardous waste improperly stored or buried in the zone. The municipality vowed strict sanctions, due to health and environmental risks. Mayor Acar acknowledged the findings and that it seemed some of the waste had been intentionally buried. Meanwhile, a group of ship recyclers protested fines, foreclosures, and demolition orders from the Municipality, demanding immediate ownership titles and criticizing APAŞ and Aliağa Municipality for arbitrary treatment. However, reports now suggest the disputes are being resolved, with an agreement reached for transferring the land to the yards.

 

Yet, despite now owning the land, the Municipality does not have more rights on environmental oversight, and environmental degradation in Aliağa lies in the absence of effective implementations of the regulation and oversight by the Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Transport authorities. The waste dumping could have been detected much earlier had there been proper environmental monitoring. Indeed, problems in Aliağa stem not from infrastructural shortcomings alone, but from inadequate environmental governance, including proper monitoring, regulation, and accountability, regardless of property transfer.

 

"Aliağa Municipality must ensure full transparency in the land sale process and collaborate closely with the Ministry of Environment to develop a comprehensive, long-term plan that supports the sustainable development of the region."
Hakan Barçın - Foça Environmental Platform (FOÇEP)

Upgrading Ship Recycling Practices in Aliağa

 

The recent fire aboard the Sloug tanker has brought renewed attention to the urgent need for strengthening oversight and regulatory standards in Turkey’s ship recycling sector. In this context, the planned dismantling of HMS Bristol, a former UK Navy vessel containing significant amounts of asbestos, PCBs, and other hazardous substances, raises serious concerns.

 

Given the recurring challenges documented in Aliağa—including criminal complaints —the import and dismantling of such high-risk vessels must be approached with utmost caution and responsibility. In accordance with the Basel Convention and principles of environmental justice, the UK should be urged to reassess the transfer of HMS Bristol and ensure it is handled in a facility with verified capacity to manage its hazardous contents safely and transparently.

 

As highlighted in our report on the shipbreaking sector in Aliaga, what is urgently needed is a comprehensive framework for ship recycling that includes robust permitting, effective monitoring, and strict enforcement mechanisms. At the same time, the sector must begin a structured transition away from the landing method toward safer and more sustainable dry-dock practices.

 

"We invite the Aliağa Municipality, along with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, to work together in developing a clear, transparent, and enforceable roadmap for the future of Aliağa. Environmental protection, worker safety, and alignment with international standards are necessary to ensure a just and sustainable transformation of the ship recycling industry in Turkey."
Ekin Sakin, Policy Officer at the NGO Shipbreaking Platform.