Bangladeshi shipbreaking yard Ferdous Steel has been fined $4,000 for operating without a valid environmental clearance, Maritime Executive reports. The permit had expired and was not renewed. The yard must obtain new clearance before it can restart work.
The penalty follows a fatal accident aboard the LNG carrier Rasi, which was being dismantled at the yard. On August 14, nine workers died from hydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning while cutting into a ballast tank. Several others were injured.
The Bangladesh Department of Environment gave Ferdous Steel seven days to pay the fine. The yard’s owner admitted the violation. The environmental permit is separate from the safety issues that caused the accident, but the fine is the first penalty linked to the investigation.
Investigators found black sludge in three ballast tanks after the accident, and water samples were sent to a laboratory for analysis. It remains unclear how H2S reached deadly levels inside the tank. Rasi had been out of service and on the beach for more than a year.
An investigation into the accident is still underway. A contractor has been hired to remove remaining hazards from the ballast tanks. Inspectors warned that H2S may still be present in the contaminated water, so the removal work must proceed carefully.
