PHP Ship Breaking & Recycling Industries claims statements made by NGO Shipbreaking Platform against its safety and environmental standards are defamatory.
The Bangladeshi recycling yard is demanding a retraction over the allegations, made in two separate press releases in December 2017.
PHP issued a legal notice to NGO Shipbreaking Platform late last week, claiming its press releases were “completely false”, “unsubstantiated” and “fabricated”.
In a press release, issued in December last year, headlined “Surge in number of accidents in Bangladesh shipbreaking yards”, NGO Shipbreaking Platform highlighted the death of PHP yard worker Harun Rashid, whose body was found in a pond.
PHP claims the fatality happened outside its shipbreaking facilities and was not linked to the yard's shiprecycling activities. While NGO Shipbreaking Platform claimed the yard was “silent about the incident”, PHP said it had not been approached for a response.
PHP claimed a leg injury to a yard worker — also cited by NGO Shipbreaking Platform — was the result of a road accident and not linked to its shipbreaking yard.
The press releases were made just weeks after PHP had completed an investment programme to upgrade its facilities to achieve a statement of compliance with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships. A certificate was issued by Italian classification society Rina.
In the second press release — “NGOs and trade unions denounce certification issued to PHP yard by classification society Rina” — challenging the certification, PHP was alleged to have suppressed and curtailed the rights of workers, while its hazardous waste disposal was criticised.
A Google Maps photograph showing an oil leak was also used in the press release.
PHP says the union official quoted denies making the statements attributed to him and insists its waste disposal and management is up to the standards of the Hong Kong Convention. PHP said the satellite image of an oil leak came from a nearby yard.
PHP is demanding a full retraction and apology, and has given NGO Shipbreaking Platform two weeks to respond before it takes the matter further.
A spokesperson for NGO Shipbreaking Platform confirmed it had received the letter, was in the process of reviewing it and would “respond accordingly”.
PHP managing director Zahirul Islam said that, since the press release, while shipowners had recognised the improvements at his shipbreaking facility, they had expressed concern over “reputational issues”.
He also said he feared the criticism would deter other yards from making improvements.
“When other yards see the best yard in Bangladesh being unfairly attacked for improving, then they can be demotivated,” he told TradeWinds.
