15 April, 2025As we approach the entry into force of the Hong Kong Convention (HKC) on 26 June 2025, IndustriALL and its affiliates are pushing to ensure that the transition to a compliant shipbreaking industry does not leave workers behind. In early April, two training sessions, a yard visit and a roundtable discussion took place in Chittagong, Bangladesh, bringing together workers, union leaders, employers and experts to confront the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
A key part of the mission was a five-hour yard visit, where union representatives and safety experts inspected a vessel being dismantled. The visit showed world-class safety procedures and a detailed waste management process, an example of what a safe and sustainable yard could look like.
But the yard stands out as an exception.
“This level of safety and attention to detail is led by the private sector, without real government pressure,”
said Walton Pantland, IndustriALL director for Shipbuilding and Shipbreaking.
“It is not representative of the rest of the industry.”
Over four days, IndustriALL held two occupational health and safety (OHS) training sessions in Chittagong. Delivered in partnership with FNV Metaal and involving 32 participants from IndustriALL’s affiliates BMF and BMCGTWF, the programme combined technical knowledge with teaching skills in a “train the trainer” model.
The technical modules included essential safety topics such as the use of personal protective equipment PPE, fire prevention, lifting operations, equipment inspection and the use of cranes and tensile cables. Workers were also introduced to international standards like marine pipe colour coding. The second module empowered participants to deliver training themselves, covering adult learning styles, how to build a training session and communication techniques.
“This is a practical example of global union solidarity: health and safety experts from our Dutch affiliate FNV Metaal providing training for our shipbreaking affiliates in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan,”
said Pantland.
The roundtable discussion that followed brought together unions, employers and government representatives. Discussions focused on the need for strong unions at the ground level. Consensus from employers was lacking, as well as the role of government in ensuring effective oversight. One breakthrough was agreement on exploring the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) in the shipbreaking sector. All parties agreed to continue discussions on costs and implementation.
“There was real openness to the EIS, which could provide vital social security in cases of disability or death,”
said Pantland.
“It’s a step toward a fairer industry.”
With seven Bangladeshi yards currently HKC-compliant and more than 100 at risk of closure, the road ahead will be bumpy. Mechanization, declining ship volumes and a lack of safety nets are already reshaping the workforce. But these trainings and the emergence of local trainers, a sign of a growing movement to make sure that the industry transition includes decent jobs, better protections and worker voice at every level.
“The HKC cannot succeed in isolation, we need shared responsibility across borders. By investing in training, empowering unions, and setting clear safety benchmarks, we can raise the standard for shipbreaking not just in Bangladesh, but across South Asia,”
said Ashutosh Bhattacharya, IndustriALL South Asia regional secretary.