KARACHI: Speakers of a seminar organised by the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) here said that the ratification of Hong Kong Convention (HKC) would not only bring a change in the lives of ship breaking workers but also ensure a boom in Pakistani economy by spurring ship breaking industry.
They said ships at the end of their useful life are sold for recycling and brought to ship breaking yards for their dismantling. However, this dismantling process is highly dangerous for the health and safety of ship breaking workers on one hand and environment for the other as these junk ships contain hazardous materials like asbestos, oil, fuel, ballast water and sludge.
It is estimated that in the next 10 years, from 2023-2032, some 15,000 vessels would be scrapped, doubling numbers as compared with the previous 10 years. It is natural that a large number of these dying ships would reach the third largest ship breaking yard of the world: Gadani, having 132 ship-breaking plots.
Recycling of ships: Accession to ‘Hong Kong Convention’ approved
Notorious for fires, explosions and other mishaps due to lack of safety measures, this ship breaking yards witnesses fatal incidents almost every year. In November 2016, at least 28 workers died and more than two dozen others injured in a blast in tanker being dismantled at Gadani. After this tragedy, the ship breaking workers’ union submitted a draft law to improve safety in ship breaking yards.
Due to their heroic struggle, the history changed when on December 2023, Pakistan became the 23rd country to ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. The Convention is set to come into force in June 2025.
Nasir Mansoor of NTUF said that the ratification of the Convention was a distant dream f; however, it finally came true and now it will enable Pakistan to take advantage of an anticipated recycling boom, and give workers the opportunity to improve their conditions.
He said that with the unity and organisation of Pakistani workers many more milestones would be achieved in future. He said that without the active support of IndustiAll this dream would have still remained a dream.
However, IndustriAll general secretary, Atle Høie, says on ratification of HK Convention: “The disaster at plot 54 of the Gadani ship breaking yards in November 2016 killed at least 28 workers, and injured many more.
The ratification of this Convention means that industrial homicides like this will become a thing of the past. We congratulate our affiliate the NTUF for their tireless work in improving workers’ conditions. We now have an opportunity to establish social dialogue in the ship breaking yards, and ensure that the work is safe and decent.“
Those spoke included Muhammad Rafiq Baloch (president NTUF) who presided over the session, Habibuddin Junaidi (Peoples Labour Bureau), Dr Asghar Ali Dashti (Chairperson International Relation Department, Urdu Federal University), Zehra Khan (Home-based Women Workers Federation), Fatima Majeed (Pakistan Fisher Folk Forum), Bashir Menhmoodani (Ship Breaking Labour Union Gadani) and Washdil Baloch (Assistance Director, labour department Balochistan).
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