In simple terms, the shipbreaking industry in Pakistan, where old ships are dismantled for recycling, is facing big problems. These problems are making it hard for the industry to operate and are hurting the country’s economy. One of the main issues is that banks are not giving loans to buy old ships for recycling, making it difficult for businesses to get started.
Also, the global market for shipbreaking has been slow because of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues like conflicts between countries. This means there are fewer old ships available for recycling, and the prices for these ships have gone up.
In Pakistan, the number of ships being dismantled has gone down a lot. Gadani, a place in Balochistan, used to be a major hub for shipbreaking, but now only a few ships are being dismantled there. Many shipbreaking yards have shut down, leading to unemployment for many workers. The workers who are still employed work in very dangerous conditions without proper safety equipment.
Shipbreaking can be a hazardous job because of the materials involved, like heavy metals and toxic chemicals. Workers often don’t have proper protection, and accidents are common. Also, the living conditions for these workers and their families are terrible, with no access to basic necessities like clean water and proper housing.
To improve this situation, Pakistan needs to update its shipbreaking methods and follow international safety standards. The government should make policies to protect the workers and invest in safer technologies. If these changes aren’t made, the shipbreaking industry in Pakistan will continue to decline, and the country will lose out on valuable economic opportunities.
