A major blast caused by several gas cylinder
explosions onboard an oil production and storage tanker, beached at Gadani
shipbreaking plot number 56, killed at least 21 workers yesterday. More than 60
workers are reported injured. It is feared that the death toll will increase as
many workers are in a critical state suffering from severe burn injuries. More
workers are missing and reportedly still remain stuck in the ship. 24 hours
after the blast, the fire on the vessel is not put out.
“This terrific accident is a painful reminder
of the dangerous working conditions at the shipbreaking yards in Gadani. Our
thoughts go first and foremost to the victims, to their families and friends,”
said Ingvild Jenssen, Policy Director of the NGO Shipbreaking Platform.
The floating oil production tanker, ACES (IMO
# 8021830), was sold to the Gadani shipbreaker by Jakarta-based PT Sinar
Mentari Prima and was used in the Jabung Batanghari terminal owned by the
Indonesian government company BPMIGAS and operated by PetroChina. The change of
flag and name of the ship happened just weeks before it reached the beach of
Gadani, which strongly point towards the use of a cash buyer for the sale of
the end-of-life vessel. [1] Cash buyers, such as GMS and Wirana, are middle men
that specialise in the selling of ships to the beaching yards in South Asia.
The Pakistan National Trade Union Federation
(NTUF) has announced three days mourning and a strike at all yards. Workers
participated to a rally in Gadani today, protesting against the deplorable
working conditions and lack of government support to enforce safety and
occupational health laws. [2] The Platform joins NTUF’s demand that all victims
of the oil tanker explosion must receive adequate treatment for their injuries
and that they, or their relatives, must receive financial compensation for
their losses.
“Health and safety must come first. This
terrible blast could have been avoided. There is a clear lack of infrastructure
and equipment in Gadani to prevent such a deadly accident. Rescue operations
are extremely difficult due to the lack of ambulances and firefighting
equipment and because rapid access to the ship and the workers that are still
stuck inside is extremely challenging,” said Abid Qaiyum Suleri, Executive
Director of Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Pakistani Platform
member organisation.
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform is calling for
the closure of the Gadani beaching yards and for a move of the industry off the
beach to areas that are under strict control, using alternative and safer
methods in docks or along piers.
NOTES
[1] The flag was changed from Indonesia to
Djibouti and the name from to FEDERAL I to ACES.
[2] Demanding their right to health and
safety, NTUF also held a demonstration in Karachi on Sunday 30 October and
called upon the federal and Balochistan governments to address the many
breaches of international workers’ rights shipbreaking workers in Gadani are
facing.
CONTACT
Ingvild Jenssen
Policy Director & Founder
NGO Shipbreaking Platform
+32 2 6094 420
Source: ship
breaking platform. 2 November 2016
http://www.shipbreakingplatform.org/press-release-ngos-denounce-dangerous-working-conditions-after-major-explosion-at-gadani-shipbreaking-yard-in-pakistan-killing-at-least-21-workers/
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