Nine workers tragically lost their lives due to exposure to toxic gas while dismantling an LNG carrier at a shipbreaking yard in Chattogram, Bangladesh, reigniting concerns over safety standards in South Asian recycling facilities. This incident occurred on August 14 on the LNG carrier Rasi at the Ferdous Steel shipbreaking yard. Among the deceased was a 17-year-old, and several others sustained injuries.
The irony lies in the fact that Ferdous Steel is certified under the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, which came into effect last year. Just a month prior to this incident, Bangladesh’s Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments had taken legal action against the yard for persistent safety violations. Following the accident, the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association has called for an independent investigation and the closure of the facility, emphasizing the discrepancies between international certifications and actual working conditions.
The accident contributes to a troubling trend, with 84 accidents reported in Bangladeshi shipbreaking yards since the Hong Kong Convention’s implementation in June 2025, resulting in 15 fatalities and 81 injuries. There are increasing calls from environmental organizations for Bangladeshi authorities to enhance oversight and accountability in ship recycling operations. Additionally, the European Union is contemplating approvals for ship recycling facilities in South Asia, particularly concerning controversial beaching techniques that critics argue compromise environmental safety.
