Ship Breaking Boom For Bangladesh

From Terra Daily:

"A controversial global treaty to clean up the ship recycling industry will mean a boom in business for the Bangladeshi magnates whose workers pull the often toxic vessels apart, experts say. About 25,000 men are employed on the Sitakundu coastline of south-east Bangladesh, exposed to dire conditions and the risk of poisoning from asbestos, mercury and other substances. Ships are driven into the 10-kilometre (six-mile) stretch of beaches on high tides and then taken apart, with their steel recycled for uses such as construction. The new rules also say about 1,000 single-hull oil tankers currently at sea must be mothballed by 2010 -- a deadline that means more business for Bangladesh."

Here is a Google Maps embed of a satellite photo of the area taken in November 2008. You can scroll and zoom in on the ships and beaches.


View Larger Map