Global Shipbreaking Report Highlights Safety Concerns and Environmental Impact
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform has released its annual report for 2025, revealing that a staggering 85% of the global tonnage scrapped last year was dismantled on the beaches of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan. A total of 321 vessels were dismantled worldwide, with 214 of these ending up in South Asia. Despite the known dangers associated with beaching ships, these countries remain the preferred choices for the shipping industry. The report underscores the severe consequences of this practice on workers, local communities, and fragile coastal ecosystems. Tragically, eleven workers lost their lives in South Asia in 2025, with at least sixty-two others injured due to unsafe working conditions.
One of the most alarming incidents occurred at the Ziri Subedar yard in Chattogram, Bangladesh, where an oil tank explosion injured eight workers during the dismantling of the BANGLAR JYOTI, a vessel owned by the Government of Bangladesh. Such incidents highlight the ongoing risks faced by workers in the shipbreaking industry, raising questions about safety standards and regulatory oversight.
Regulatory Framework and Compliance Challenges
Bangladesh has approved seventeen shipbreaking yards under the International Maritime Organisation’s Hong Kong Convention (HKC), which came into effect in June 2025. However, serious accidents continue to occur even at these authorized yards, and incident reporting remains inconsistent or entirely lacking. In contrast, India has yet to authorize any shipbreaking yards under the HKC, although over 100 yards in Alang-Sosiya possess private Statements of Compliance with the Convention’s requirements.
Ingvild Jenssen, Executive Director and Founder of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, emphasized the need for stronger standards within the HKC to ensure safe and environmentally sound practices. She called for enhanced enforcement of the Basel Convention’s restrictions on hazardous waste trade, advocating for accountability within the shipping industry. Jenssen noted that responsibility should shift to the states that control the owners of assets intended for disposal.
The report also warns of a growing backlog of aging vessels that are expected to head for breaking yards in the coming years. This backlog includes numerous tankers operating in the so-called dark fleet, some of which may be illicitly traded to Indian beaching yards using cash, cryptocurrency, and foreign currencies to evade sanctions. These developments pose a significant risk of fostering a parallel shipbreaking economy where safety standards and environmental protections are easily bypassed.
Call for Safer Recycling Practices
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform advocates for the recycling of vessels at safe, transparent, and fully regulated facilities, moving away from hazardous beaching practices. Existing facilities that meet these standards, particularly ship recycling yards in the European Union, continue to operate significantly below capacity. This discrepancy highlights the availability of safe alternatives that are often overlooked by the shipping sector.
Shipbreaking Industry’s Environmental and Human Toll in Bangladesh
Nicola Mulinaris, Senior Communication and Policy Advisor of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, reiterated the importance of recycling the impending influx of vessels, including those from the dark fleet, in a manner that prioritizes safety and environmental integrity. The call for reform in shipbreaking practices is urgent, as the industry faces increasing scrutiny over its impact on workers and the environment.
The findings of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform serve as a critical reminder of the need for improved safety measures and regulatory compliance in the shipbreaking industry, as well as the importance of transitioning to more sustainable practices.
