Ship Breaking: A movie

THE SHIPBREAKERS

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Introduction.Only a handful of nations are willing to accept the dirty and dangerous work of dismantling a ship by hand. But for countries like Bangladesh, ship-breaking provides jobs and resources that it cannot afford to lose.
The problem: "... after the industrialised countries of the western world are through using these ships, when they are no longer useable, they just get scrapped on beach heads without dry dock facilities or safety measures for the workers involved.
And of course the challenge posed by this is how this can be done in a safer manner, it will never be perfect because the optimal conditions are not there..."
Working conditions: Once the anchor is dropped workers will begin by stripping the ship of all removables. As the ship is broken, boilers and machinery are removed and sold on.
What follows is dangerous and back-breaking work. At every point in the process, an accident is waiting to happen.
Men are carrying steel plates that elsewhere would be moved by machines. From the shipbreaking site, the steel is taken to primitive rolling mills.
Working in extreme temperatures with primitive machinery, accidents are not unusual. Work carries on well into the night.
The issues: People come from one of the poorest districts of the country. They share a single well for water and there is no toilet. Work is a few steps away.
Workers have no rights, no regular employment, appointment letters, job security, benefits or unions. Attempts to organise workers have failed and have shown that "...the situation is not favourable to unions."
Employers don't want to spend money on safety devices, they don't organise any training for the people working there. Shipyard owners blame accidents on ignorance and carelessness.
Is there a decent way to break ships? In an ideal world yes, but it costs money. Here conditions are different. Shipyard owners want change, but say the funds are lacking.
Today shipowners have very little say over where his ship is ultimately broken up. But more boats may mean more pressure to improve working conditions as the industry expands.
Closing remarks: "All the world has left the job, now only four five countries do the job..." "Although the problem might look to be insurmountable, there are a number of practical measures which can be taken..."
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THE SHIPBREAKERS

© ILO, 2000