Nine Dead in H2S Blast at HKC-Certified Bangladesh Yard

Deadly Gas Leak Hits Certified Recycling Yard

Nine shipbreaking workers died and six were injured after a hydrogen sulfide release at the Ferdous Steel yard in Chattogram, Bangladesh, according to a report by Maritime Executive. The incident is being described as the worst shipbreaking casualty in years, rivaling the scale of the 2016 Gadani explosion in Pakistan, which killed an estimated 27 people.

The accident happened aboard the LNG carrier Rasi, formerly known as Ras Laffan (IMO 9176008), which had been beached at the yard since mid-2025 and was over a year into demolition. Workers were cutting into a ballast tank around 0830 hours when a large release of H2S flooded the enclosed space they were working in. Responders also detected elevated ammonia and methane levels, and H2S readings inside the vessel reportedly remained hazardous three days later.

Why This Tank Was Different

Hydrogen sulfide forms naturally from the anaerobic breakdown of organic material and is notorious for its rotten-egg smell. At concentrations above 100 ppm it becomes dangerous, and above roughly 700-1000 ppm it can incapacitate or kill almost instantly. What makes this case troubling is that three other ballast tanks aboard the same ship had already been opened and cut without any gas issues, and the vessel had reportedly passed a gas-free certification before demolition began. Worker union representatives have flagged this inconsistency as evidence of inadequate testing procedures, and Ferdous Steel has previously faced citations for safety violations and unpaid wages.

A Pattern, Not an Isolated Event

Authorities have suspended operations at Ferdous Steel and a local committee is investigating, though union leaders are pushing for a higher-level inquiry. The tragedy is severe but not an outlier: tracking by a Bangladeshi daily found 84 accidents at the country’s yards since the Hong Kong Convention took effect in mid-2025, with 15 deaths and 81 injuries recorded, a third of them concentrated at a single facility.

That statistic has fueled renewed criticism of the HKC itself. The Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association argues that the convention offers weaker protections than the Basel Convention, which the shipping industry has historically resisted as a recycling framework. In a public statement, the group said compliance with what it calls the weaker HKC standard has done little to curb ongoing worker deaths in the sector.

Notably, HKC certification is widespread in Bangladesh — 23 of the country’s 31 yards, including Ferdous, now hold it, with the rest reportedly close to completing the process. That a certified facility was the site of the deadliest incident in years is likely to intensify scrutiny of what HKC certification actually guarantees on the ground.

What It Means for Owners and Managers

For shipowners and recycling brokers selecting end-of-life disposal yards, this casualty is a reminder that HKC certification documents a yard’s systems and procedures on paper, but it cannot substitute for rigorous, tank-by-tank gas testing before and during cutting operations. The fact that three ballast tanks were cleared without incident before a fourth produced a lethal release suggests either inconsistent testing protocols or an undetected pocket of decomposing residue — a scenario that underscores why gas-free certificates issued once, before work begins, may not remain valid as hull sections are progressively opened over many months. Technical superintendents overseeing recycling contracts, and any surveyors engaged to monitor demolition progress, should treat ongoing atmosphere monitoring inside enclosed and void spaces as a continuous requirement rather than a one-time compliance box to tick. The incident also strengthens the argument, long made by environmental and labor advocates, that recycling due diligence should extend beyond checking a yard’s HKC status to independently verifying its actual safety practices, inspection records, and prior citation history before a vessel is sold for breaking.

Compensation of roughly $8,000 per family has been offered to the victims’ relatives, according to Bangladeshi media, though union representatives continue to call for stronger enforcement and a broader safety investigation into the yard’s practices.

Reviewed by Ibrahim Halil Ceylan, Marine Surveyor at Apeks Marine.