Maritime skills development is key to expanding Bangladesh’s blue economy

Bangladesh’s maritime sectors, particularly shipbuilding and ship recycling, are entering a phase where future competitiveness will depend less on labour availability and more on skill intensity, safety compliance, and technological capability. While the country continues to benefit from a large and cost-competitive workforce, persistent shortages of certified welders, marine technicians, supervisors, and quality-control personnel are constraining productivity and limiting the industry’s ability to move up the value chain. At the same time, a significant proportion of workers in shipyards and recycling facilities still acquire skills informally, often in high-risk environments, resulting in avoidable accidents, inconsistent quality, and reduced operational efficiency.

This disconnect between labour supply and skill readiness is emerging as a structural bottleneck at a time when Bangladesh is seeking to diversify exports, strengthen industrial capacity, and position itself within the blue economy. As policy attention shifts towards employment generation, industrial upgrading, and sustainable growth, the need for a structured and industry-aligned maritime skills ecosystem has become more pronounced. Shipbuilding and ship recycling clearly illustrate this gap: both sectors have demonstrated scale and resilience, but their long-term competitiveness will increasingly depend on the quality of human capital rather than its quantity.

Over the past two decades, Bangladesh’s shipbuilding industry has made notable progress, evolving from small coastal vessel construction to exporting oceangoing ships to international markets. Local shipyards have established a presence in segments such as small and medium-sized vessels, supported by competitive labour costs and growing technical capability. The sector employs a substantial workforce and has the potential to benefit from rising global demand for feeder vessels, inland waterway transport, and specialised ships. However, the absence of a structured pipeline of certified and technically trained workers continues to limit productivity improvements and technological upgrading.

The situation is more acute in the ship recycling sector. Bangladesh remains one of the world’s leading ship recycling destinations, with yards in Sitakunda playing a critical role in supplying scrap steel to the domestic economy. Despite its economic importance, the sector faces persistent scrutiny regarding its lack of occupational safety and environmental standards. A significant number of workers enter the industry without formal training, increasing exposure to workplace risks and undermining compliance with emerging global standards.

These challenges are likely to intensify as international regulatory expectations evolve. The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships is gradually gaining traction, and compliance is increasingly influencing the commercial decisions made by shipowners, financiers, and insurers. In parallel, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations are becoming central to global supply chains. In this context, countries that fail to professionalise their workforce and align with safety and environmental standards risk losing competitiveness and market access.

Addressing these challenges requires a coordinated and institutional response. Establishing a dedicated shipbuilding and ship recycling academy under the state-run Bangladesh Maritime University can be a practical, implementable pathway. Rather than creating entirely new infrastructure, the initiative could build upon existing technical institutes—particularly those located in or around Chattogram—while integrating academic oversight, industry participation, and internationally recognised certification frameworks.

Such an academy could develop specialised curricula covering both shipbuilding and recycling. In shipbuilding, training modules may include marine engineering fundamentals, advanced welding techniques, computer-aided design (CAD), automation systems, quality assurance, and production management. In ship recycling, programmes should focus on occupational safety, hazardous material handling, environmental compliance, waste management, and emergency response. Aligning certification with international standards would not only improve domestic productivity but also enhance the global employability of Bangladeshi workers.

An integrated institutional approach would also enable a lifecycle perspective, linking ship design, construction, operation, and dismantling within a single knowledge framework. This would strengthen Bangladesh’s positioning within circular economy principles and reinforce its commitment to sustainable industrial practices. Locating the academy near major industrial clusters would facilitate industry-academia collaboration, allowing apprenticeships, internships, and on-site training to be embedded within formal education pathways.

The economic benefits of such an initiative are considerable. A skilled workforce enhances productivity, reduces operational inefficiencies, and lowers the incidence of workplace accidents, thereby reducing associated economic and social costs. Improved compliance with safety and environmental standards would strengthen Bangladesh’s reputation in global markets, making its ship recycling sector more attractive to international stakeholders. At the same time, the development of certified maritime skills could open opportunities in the global labour market.

Several advanced shipbuilding nations, including South Korea and Japan, are facing labour shortages in technical and production roles due to demographic transitions. Bangladesh has the potential to position itself as a supplier of trained maritime professionals, similar to how the Philippines has successfully developed a global seafaring workforce. Structured training and internationally recognised certification could enable Bangladeshi workers to access higher-value employment opportunities abroad, contributing to remittance growth while strengthening bilateral industrial linkages.

Conversely, the cost of inaction is likely to be significant. Continued reliance on low-cost, low-skilled labour is unlikely to be sustainable in an increasingly technology-driven and compliance-oriented global maritime industry. Without systematic skills development, Bangladesh risks remaining trapped in a low-value segment of the industry, facing increasing competition from more technologically advanced and better-regulated competitors, while also exposing its workforce to preventable risks.

From an implementation perspective, the proposed academy does not require extensive new legislation or large-scale capital investment. Bangladesh Maritime University can provide academic oversight and accreditation, while relevant ministries and the National Skills Development Authority can ensure alignment with national qualifications frameworks. Industry stakeholders can play a direct role in curriculum design and training delivery, ensuring that programmes remain responsive to evolving market needs. This public–academic–industry partnership model would enhance both relevance and long-term sustainability.

Bangladesh has already made substantial investments in maritime infrastructure, including ports, inland waterways, and logistics systems. However, infrastructure development alone cannot ensure competitiveness without a corresponding investment in human capital. The effectiveness of these investments ultimately depends on the availability of skilled professionals capable of operating and managing increasingly complex systems.

At a time when the country is seeking to strengthen its industrial base and expand its participation in the blue economy, prioritising maritime skills development represents a strategic and timely intervention. Establishing a shipbuilding and ship recycling academy would provide a structured mechanism to bridge the gap between labour supply and industry requirements, improve safety and environmental performance, and enhance Bangladesh’s position in the global maritime economy.

Ahamedul Karim Chowdhury, adjunct faculty at Bangladesh Maritime University, is a maritime, logistics, and supply chain policy analyst.

Views expressed in this article are the author's own. 

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