In this quarterly publication, the NGO Shipbreaking Platform informs about the shipbreaking industry in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Providing an overview of accidents that took place on the beaches of South Asia and recent on-the-ground developments, including our activities, we aim to inform the public about the negative impacts of substandard shipbreaking practices as well as positive steps aimed at the realisation of environmental justice and the protection of workers’ rights.
There were a tot a l of 258 ships broken in the second quarter of 2021. Of these, 197 ships were sold to the beaches of South As i a , where conditions a re known to put worker s ’ lives and the environment at risk . United Ar ab Emirates ship owners sold the most ships to South Asian yards, closely followed by Greek, Singaporean and South Korean owners. Almost one third of the ships sold to South Asia this quarter changed flag to the registries of Comoros, Gabon, Palau and St. Kitts and Nevis just weeks before hitting the beach. These flags are not typically used during the operational life of ships and offer ‘last voyage registra tion’ discounts.
They are particularly popular with the middlemen scrap-dealers that purchase vessels cash from shipowners and are grey – and black -listed due to their poor implementation of international maritime law.
Source: NGO Shipbreaking Platform