The ship recycling yards near the port of Chittagong, Bangladesh's second-largest city, are the nation's main source of steel, employing more than 100,000 people. There are approximately 350 re-rolling mills located in greater Chittagong and Dhaka districts, which annually produces around 1.3 million tons of finished rods for the construction industry. This industry completely depends on the ship-recycling yards for raw materials. About 100,000 workers are involved in the ship recycling industry directly and indirectly. Currently these activities are conducted by some 20 yards in an area of approximately eight square kilometers in Chittagong.

KEY ELEMENTS
		(Was) Leading Recycler of Tankers
		Beginning to focus on green ship recycling issues
		Several yards now ISO Certified
		Norwegian grant and IMO pushing for training and improvements
		Increasing number of regulations
		On and off market
		Financial (USD) crisis
		Loans to recyclers International credits
		Difficult market to deliver ships promptly
		Embroiled in a legal battle between the Bangladesh's Environmental Lawyers (BELA) and local ship recyclers (BSBA)
		Steel from ships critical for domestic growth and consumption

BEST MARKET FOR
		Large LDT tonnage