The NGO Shipbreaking Platform has released its 2024 annual report on ships dismantled globally. The data indicates that 80% of the global tonnage scrapped last year was dismantled under substandard conditions on the beaches of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan.
In 2024, a total of 409 ships were dismantled worldwide, with 255 of these ships ending up in South Asian yards.
Bangladesh continues to be the preferred destination for ship scrapping, despite significant adverse impacts on workers, local communities, and fragile coastal ecosystems.
As certain segments of the shipping industry advocate for the approval of beaching yards under the Hong Kong Convention—which is set to come into effect in June this year—the European Union has yet to disclose proposals for enhancing the EU Ship Recycling Regulation. Unscheduled inspections by the European Commission at EU-approved facilities in Turkey have revealed discrepancies between theoretical plans and actual practices, resulting in several yards being removed from the EU list. Additionally, high levels of pollution in the Aliaga region have led to legal action by Turkish civil society organizations, which are demanding that the sector undergo a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment.
For the full Excel dataset of all ships dismantled worldwide in 2024, click here.