Turkish shipyard fatalities put industry under fire

Booming worldwide demand for cargo ships of every kind has greatly benefited Turkey as an "emerging shipbuilding country" in recent years.

It has infused the country with significant amounts of foreign cash and providing an abundance of employment opportunities to local markets. However, this has come at a cost as labor unions become increasingly uneasy over occupational hazards and safety issues that have led to accidents and deaths, problems that threaten the lucrative shipbuilding industry, the world's fourth largest after Japan, South Korea and China. The tragic deaths of two workers at a Tuzla shipyard last week prompted unions and civil society organizations to call on the government to take swift action in regulating the industry. All political parties seem to have a unified position on the issue as well. Parliament's Human Rights Investigation Commission has established a subcommittee to examine the topic and investigate accidents involving fatalities. The government has introduced new safety regulations in line with European Union standards and started to implement safety inspections. New regulations adopted by the International Maritime Association (IMO) have also pushed the industry to build more vessels with greater tonnage. The industry provides a sizable contribution to the Turkish economy, totaling over $2.5 billion in foreign currency, offers employment opportunities to 30,000 people directly and over 70,000 people through parts and related sectors. Industry estimates project a 300,000-strong labor force in total by 2013. The number of shipyards is increasing rapidly in Turkey. The Tuzla shipyards are home to 44 shipbuilders and currently account for 80 percent of export and 70 percent of the sector's employment. With 265 new ship orders, Turkey is fourth in the global shipbuilding market.
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