Ship recycling generally involves reverse engineering, deconstructing obsolete or End of Life (EOL) ships to recover usable materials in a safe, environmentally friendly manner. Over the past thirty years, most ship recycling has occurred in a few South Asian countries—mainly Bangladesh, India, China, and Pakistan—where vessels are usually beached and dismantled through labor-intensive methods that offer moderate safety protections. Those three countries have played a crucial role in global ship recycling, with considerable efficiency, though often in a reasonable and professional manner. Roughly 90% of the world's tonnage of EOL ships are recycled in South Asian nations. Bangladesh's local recycling yards currently account for almost 40% of the world's ship recycling tonnage, ranking alongside India and Pakistan as the world's top ship recycling nations. Local yards supply the necessary raw materials and employ large numbers of semi-skilled workers in coastal areas prone to poverty. However, the industry faces challenges in managing coastal zones, addressing environmental deterioration, enforcing laws, and ensuring occupational health and safety.