Lok Sabha Question No. 116 (STARRED), answered on 2026-02-06
Subject: Ship Breaking Job
Ministry: PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
Asked by: Dr. Thirumaavalavan Tholkappiyan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. *116

ANSWERED ON 06.02.2026

## SHIP BREAKING JOB

*116: DR. THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOLKAPPIYAN:

Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:

## पȅन , पोत पįरवहन और जलमागŊ मंũी

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  dangerous  occupational  and  environmental health problems being posed by the ship breaking job;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) whether  the  Government  is  also  aware  of  the  fatalities,  injuries,  health  hazards  and work  related  diseases  faced  by  the  people  due  to  the  ship  breaking  industry  in  the country, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF PORTS SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

- (a) to (c) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  *116  TO  BE  ANSWERED  ON  6 th   FEBRUARY,  2026 RAISED BY Dr. THIRUMAAVALAVAN THOLKAPPIYAN, HON'BLE MP REGARDING 'SHIP BREAKING JOB'

(a)  Yes.  The  Government  is  aware  that  the  Ship  breaking  job  poses  occupational, environmental and health related challenges.

(b)  Due to such challenges, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has addressed this global issue related to Ship Recycling job by adopting the Hong Kong Convention for  the  Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) in May 2009. This global framework is designed to ensure that ships, when being recycled, do not pose unnecessary risks to human health, safety, and the environment. India being a market leader in Ship Recycling acceded to the HKC and has enacted the Recycling of Ships Act,  2019,  which  aligns  with  HKC  requirements  as  well  as  framed  the  Recycling  of Ships Rules, 2021 which were notified on 26 th February, 2021. The convention entered into  force  on  June  26,  2025  and  from  this  date  onward,  all  ships  being  recycled  and recycling facilities are required to comply with the HKC's standards. The Recycling of Ships Regulations, 2026 have been notified on 12 th January 2026.

A comprehensive regulatory and compliance framework has also been put in place at the  Alang-Sosiya  Ship  Recycling  Yard  (ASSRY),  Gujarat,  which  is  the  largest  ship recycling  cluster  in  India  where  98  percent  of  ship  recycling  is  being  carried  out. Mandatory  safety  training,  use  of  PPE,  gas-free  certification,  emergency  response systems, hazardous waste management, availability of a Level-III Trauma Centre, and continuous monitoring by the Gujarat Maritime Board, Gujarat Pollution Control Board and Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health (DISH), are in place in Alang.

(c) Yes. The Government has notified the National Authority and Competent Authority for implementation of Hong Kong Convention as per the Ship Recycling Act, 2019. The fatalities, injuries, health hazard and work related diseases faced by the Ship recycling workers  are  being  monitored  by  Directorate  of  Industrial  Safety  and  Health  (DISH), State  Pollution  Control  Board  and  the  State  Maritime  Boards/State  Government concerned  departments.  It  is  pertinent  to  note  that  the  strengthened  regulations, infrastructure  upgradation  and  enforcement  have  significantly  enhanced  workforce safety in this industry in the Country.

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