MonteZaleski33 at 20:55, 13 April 2026

2026-04-13T20:55:55Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2022}}
{{Short description|Ship breaking yard in Alang, Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India}}
[[File: Shipwrecking in Alang, India, 2017-03-23 by Planet Labs.jpg|thumb|Satellite image of ships beached at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard]]
The '''Alang Ship Breaking Yard''' is the world's largest [[ship breaking]] yard, responsible for dismantling more than a third of retired freight and cargo ships salvaged from around the world.<ref>{{cite web |last=Langewiesche |first=William |title=The Shipbreakers |url=http://www.wesjones.com/shipbreakers.htm |access-date=2012-09-22 |work=August 2000;; Volume 286, No. 2; page 31-49 |publisher=The Atlantic Monthly}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=How world's largest graveyard of ships turned the tide - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/alang-how-worlds-biggest-shipbreaking-yard-turned-the-tide/articleshow/81205429.cms |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=The Times of India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413235319/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/alang-how-worlds-biggest-shipbreaking-yard-turned-the-tide/articleshow/81205429.cms |archive-date=2021-04-13 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-30 |title=India plans to double Alang shipbreaking capacity • Recycling International |url=https://recyclinginternational.com/ferrous-metals/india-plans-to-double-alang-shipbreaking-capacity/36295/ |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=Recycling International |language=en-US}}</ref> It is located on the [[Gulf of Khambhat]] by the town of [[Alang]], in the district of [[Bhavnagar district|Bhavnagar]] in the state of [[Gujarat]], [[India]].

N. Sundaresan was the founder of Alang Ship Recycling Yard in 1983,<ref>{{Cite web |title=India |url=https://shipbreakingplatform.org/our-work/the-problem/india |access-date=2021-07-10 |website=NGO Shipbreaking Platform |language=en-US}}</ref> the shipyard is believed to have acquired a total of {{US$|110.6}}{{nbsp}}billion in aggregate value, including total assets. Its growth has prompted its extension northeast towards Sosiya in Gujarat, and it is now often referred to as the Alang-Sosiya Yard.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=20 August 2018 |title=Ship Recycling in Alang – The Changing Scenario |url=https://safety4sea.com/ship-recycling-in-alang-the-changing-scenario/ }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/west/gujarat-lockdown-relaxation-first-vessel-beached-at-one-of-biggest-ship-recycling-yards-828992.html|title=Gujarat lockdown relaxation: First vessel beached at one of biggest ship recycling yards|date=23 April 2020|website=Deccan Herald|accessdate=15 May 2023}}</ref>

== Salvaging ==
[[File:Calendar 2020 (64).jpg|thumb|Removing steel plates from a ship using cranes]]
The Alang facility consists of 183 ship breaking yards along {{convert|14|km|mi}} of coast that total 4.5{{nbsp}}million light displacement tonnage (LDT) of capacity.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2021-02-05 |title=Ship recycling in Alang: What is its capacity, and can it attract more aging ships from Europe & Japan? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/ship-recycling-alang-capacity-ageing-ships-europe-japan-7174436/ |access-date=2021-07-10 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

Large [[Supertanker|super-tankers]], [[Ferry|car ferries]], [[container ship]]s and [[ocean liner]]s are beached on the mud flats during high tide. As the tide recedes, manual labourers move onto the beach to dismantle each ship, salvaging what they can and reducing the rest to scrap.<ref>{{Cite web |title=500px |url=https://500px.com/photo/253376215/alang-001-ship-breaking-yard-by-am |access-date=2021-07-10 |website=500px.com}}</ref>

The first ship broken down at Alang, MV ''Kota Tenjong'', was beached on 13 February 1983. Alang's processing peaked between 2011 and 2012 at 415 vessels per year, and has been declining since. In 2020, Alang Ship Breaking Yard recycled 196 ships.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manoj |first=P. |title=Alang goes green |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/worlds-largest-shipbreaking-stretch-alang-goes-green/article33542154.ece |access-date=2021-07-10 |website=@businessline |date=10 January 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

== Ongoing upgrade plans ==
The governments of [[Japan]] and [[Gujarat]] signed a [[Memorandum of Understanding]] in 2010, which focused on technology transfer and financial assistance from Japan to upgrade the yard's operations to meet international standards.<ref>{{cite web |date=2010-02-06 |title=Japan,Guj govt tie up to upgrade Alang shipyard |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/japan-guj-govt-tie-up-to-upgrade-alang-shipyard |access-date=2021-05-21 |work=The Indian Express}}</ref> The project aimed to make Alang the largest [[International Maritime Organization]]-compliant ship recycling yard in the world. This evolved as part of the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, an international industrial development project supported by the governments of India and Japan and carried out as a public-private partnership.{{fact|date=December 2022}}

Improvement efforts started in 2017, with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency providing a [[soft loan]] of $76{{nbsp}}million and the Gujarati Maritime Board providing $35{{nbsp}}million toward improvements.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Japan Gives $76m to Improve Alang Shipbreaking Yards |url=https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/japan-gives-76m-to-improve-alang-shipbreaking-yards |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=The Maritime Executive |language=en}}</ref>

== Notable ships scrapped ==
In 2004, ''Regal V'', famous for a deadly fire in 1990 when she was known as ''[[Scandinavian Star]]'', was broken up at Alang.

On 31 December 2005, the French aircraft carrier ''[[French aircraft carrier Clemenceau|Clemenceau]]'' left Toulon to be dismantled in Alang, despite protests about improper disposal and mismanagement of toxic waste at the facility.<ref>{{cite news |author=Zubair Ahmed |date=2006-01-06 |title=Stay out, India tells toxic ship |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4588922.stm |access-date=2009-03-05}}</ref> In January 2006, the [[Supreme Court of India]] temporarily prohibited the ''Clemenceau'' from entering the port.<ref>{{cite web |date=2006-01-06 |title=Stay out, India tells toxic ship |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4588922.stm |access-date=2007-11-24 |work=BBC News}}</ref> Attempts to reach a settlement were unsuccessful, and ''Clemenceau'' was sent to a ship-breaking harbour in Britain instead. On 15 January, a court ruling by France's ''[[Council of State (France)|Conseil d'État]]'' ordered ''Clemenceau'' to return to French waters.<ref>{{cite news |date=2006-01-16 |title=Chirac orders 'toxic' ship home |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4716472.stm |access-date=2009-03-05}}</ref> Shortly after, [[Able UK]], based at the [[Graythorp]] yard near [[Hartlepool]], received a disassembly contract to use accepted practices in scrapping the ship.<ref>{{cite news |date=4 January 2010 |title=Praise for 'toxic' ship scrapping |publisher=[[BBC News Online]] |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/8439308.stm |quote=The dismantling of the former Clemenceau is a positive and pioneering operation in Europe}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite news |date=2009-02-08 |title=Ghost ship arrives in north-east |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tees/7877204.stm |access-date=2009-03-05}}</ref> Disassembly began on 18 November 2009 and was completed by the end of 2010.<ref name=":2" />

In December 2009, the longest ship ever built, ''[[Seawise Giant]]'', was broken up at Alang.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=FSX Seawise Giant Ultra Tanker |url=https://flyawaysimulation.com/downloads/files/6185/fsx-seawise-giant-ultra-tanker/ |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=Fly Away Simulation |language=en}}</ref>

In August 2012, ''[[Oriental Nicety]]'', famous for an [[Exxon Valdez oil spill|oil spill in Prince William sound]] when she was known as ''[[Exxon Valdez]]'', was scrapped at Alang.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-08-02 |title=23 years after one of history's worst oil spills,Exxon Valdez 'rests' in Gujarat |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gujarat/23-years-after-one-of-historys-worst-oil-spills-exxon-valdez-rests-in-gujarat/ |access-date=2023-11-24 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>

== Environment, health and safety issues ==
The salvage yards at Alang have generated controversies about numerous environmental, health and safety issues, including working conditions, workers' living conditions and environmental impact and frequent accidents and death of workers. Between January 2009 and October 2012, at least 54 workers were said to have died in work-related accidents at the Alang shipbreaking yards, according to a local workers union. This has attracted concern and scrutiny from the [[IndustriALL Global Union]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-10-08 |title=Again, workers are killed at shipbreaking yard in India |url=https://www.industriall-union.org/again-workers-are-killed-at-shipbreaking-yard-in-india |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=IndustriALL |language=en}}</ref> and the EU.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin_ec |date=2019-09-10 |title=Press Release - Two fatal accidents at Indian yards under EU scrutiny |url=https://shipbreakingplatform.org/fatal-accidents-at-indian-yards-under-eu-scrutiny/ |access-date=2025-01-02 |website=NGO Shipbreaking Platform |language=en-US}}</ref>

The recycling activities pollute the beach and surrounding areas, including the water, with heavy metals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Demaria |first=Frederico |date=2010-12-01 |title=Shipbreaking at Alang–Sosiya (India): An ecological distribution conflict |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/223707497 |access-date=2022-06-03 |website=researchgate.net}}</ref> Additionally, in the past, the nearest full-service hospital was 50 km (31 miles) away in Bhavnagar. In March 2019, the Alang Hospital, a multi-speciality hospital at Alang, was inaugurated by [[Vijay Rupani]], the Chief Minister of Gujarat. This hospital was set up by the [[Gujarat Maritime Board]], is operated by the [[Indian Red Cross Society]], and is able to provide immediate medical services.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/SAU-MAT-multi-specialty-hospital-will-be-started-by-alang-in-indian-red-cross-society-and-new-collector-sage-cash-lash-counter-by-gmb-035654-4036006-NOR.html|title=અલંગમાં ઇન્ડિયન રેડક્રોસ સોસાયટી અને જી.એમ.બી.દ્વારા નવા કલેવર સજી કેશ લેશ કાઉન્ટર સાથે મલ્ટી સ્પેશ્યાલિટી હોસ્પીટલ શરૂ થશે|date=3 March 2019|website=Divya Bhaskar|accessdate=15 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-03-11 |title=Alang, Gujarat: The World's Biggest Ship Breaking Yard & A Dangerous Environmental Time Bomb |url=
https://www.marineinsight.com/environment/alang-gujarat-the-world%E2%80%99s-biggest-ship-breaking-yard-a-dangerous-environmental-time-bomb/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615223330/https://www.marineinsight.com/environment/alang-gujarat-the-world%E2%80%99s-biggest-ship-breaking-yard-a-dangerous-environmental-time-bomb/|archive-date=June 15, 2021|website=Marine Insight |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Competition ==
Other large facilities on the scale of Alang Ship Breaking Yard include the [[Aliaga Ship Breaking Yard]] (Turkey), [[Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard]] (Bangladesh) and [[Gadani ship-breaking yard]] (Pakistan).<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2020-07-29 |title=Carnival Fantasy arrived at Turkey's Aliaga shipbreaking yard for scrapping {{!}} Cruise News |url=https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/7722-carnival-fantasy-arrives-grave-aliaga-ship-recycling-facility-turkey |access-date=2021-07-09 |website=CruiseMapper |language=en-EN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-29 |title=Carnival Fantasy arrived at Turkey's Aliaga shipbreaking yard for scrapping {{!}} Cruise News |url=https://www.cruisemapper.com/news/7722-carnival-fantasy-arrives-grave-aliaga-ship-recycling-facility-turkey |access-date=2021-07-10 |website=CruiseMapper |language=en-EN}}</ref> In the 1980s, Gadani was the largest ship breaking yard; however, competition from newly established yards such as Alang resulted in a significant reduction in output, with Gadani today{{when|date=January 2024}} producing less than one-fifth of the scrap it produced in the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gadani Ship-breaking Yard |url=https://www.meezanbank.com/wp-content/themes/mbl/images/Calendar/Calendar2020/December.pdf |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710103226/https://www.meezanbank.com/wp-content/themes/mbl/images/Calendar/Calendar2020/December.pdf |archive-date=2021-07-10 }}</ref>

== Documentaries ==
2004: ''[[Shipbreakers (film)|Shipbreakers]]'' is a documentary on the industry in Alang by Michael Kot.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SHIPBREAKERS (2004) |url=https://wickedjosie.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/shipbreakers.pdf |url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210710104934/https://wickedjosie.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/shipbreakers.pdf |archive-date=2021-07-10 }}</ref>

2005: ''On the Road to Alang'',<ref name="RoadToAlang">{{Cite web |title=On The Road To Alang |url=http://www.midshipcentury.com/videoalang1.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080112201513/http://www.midshipcentury.com/videoalang1.shtml |archive-date=12 January 2008 |access-date=23 January 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> by Peter Knego of ''Maritime Matters'', is a documentary on passenger ships scrapped at Alang.<ref name="PK">{{Cite web |title=Peter Knego |url=http://www.maritimematters.com/PK.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213183949/http://www.maritimematters.com/PK.html |archive-date=13 December 2007 |access-date=23 January 2008 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== See also ==
*[[List of ship breaking yards]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}{{Shiplife}}{{waste}}{{recycling}}
{{Coord|21|24|36|N|72|11|51|E|display=title}}

[[Category:Ship breaking]]
[[Category:Ship disposal]]
[[Category:Bhavnagar district]]
[[Category:Economy of India]]
[[Category:Economy of Gujarat]]

Alang Ship Breaking Yard - Revision history

MonteZaleski33 at 20:55, 13 April 2026