Which one is the World’s Largest Ship Graveyard?
Located in the Gulf of Khambhat near the town of Alang in Bhavnagar district in Gujarat, India, the Alang Shipbreaking Yard is known as the world’s largest ship graveyard.
More than a third of the world’s old and abandoned ships have ended up here, including container ships, supertankers, and even legendary ships such as the Exxon Valdez and Seaways Giant that sank in Alang.
The yard has 183 shipbreaking yards along a 14-kilometer coastline with a total processing capacity of 4.5 million tons of light displacement ships.
The world’s largest ship graveyard began operations in 1983. Founded by Captain N. Sundaresan, the yard is said to have a total asset value of approximately $110.6 billion.
With the continuous development of its business, the yard has extended northeast to Susiya in Gujarat, commonly known as the Alang-Susiya Yard.
Its creation has transformed Alang – a place that once had a vibrant lagoon and coral reefs and a quiet fishing village – into a global ship recycling center.
At its peak in 2011 and 2012, the shipyard was dismantling about 415 ships a year. In 2020, the shipyard recycled 196 ships.
Shipbreaking at the world’s largest ship graveyard
The ship is deliberately stranded on the mudflats at high tide. The fuel tanks are emptied to prevent explosions and any hazardous materials that may be on board are disposed of. Officials also inspect the ship to ensure it meets standards and can be safely dismantled.
Workers then move to shore and begin dismantling the ship, collecting its valuable parts, including electronic equipment, pipes, wiring and memorabilia, before shipping the rest to the scrapyard.
The hull and superstructure are cut off and converted into scrap steel and other materials. The recycled parts are then sold at the busy scrap market in the port of Alang and bought by buyers from India and overseas.
Planned Upgrades and Innovations
In 2010, the Japanese and Gujarat governments signed a memorandum of understanding to transfer technology and provide financial assistance to build the yard in accordance with international standards.
The project, which aims to transform Alang Port into the world’s largest IMO-compliant ship recycling yard, is supported by India and Japan.
Efforts in this regard began in 2017 with a $76 million loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency and $35 million from the Gujarat Maritime Board.
Stakeholders are also investing in new technologies for ship dismantling, waste management, and recycling processes to make Alang Port more competitive and attractive to shipowners seeking environmentally friendly recycling solutions.
Several shipyards at Alang Port have been certified by international bodies such as ClassNK to meet global safety, environmental, and worker welfare standards.
Environmental Issues
The salvage terminal at Alang Port has been the focus of numerous controversies related to environmental, health, and safety issues, including living conditions, accidents, and deaths of workers.
Recycling activities have polluted the beaches and surrounding areas of Port Alang, including the waters, with heavy metals such as zinc, lead, nickel, and tin, as well as toxic substances such as paints and oils.
In addition, coral reefs and marine ecosystems have been damaged by the discharge of hazardous substances and oil spills.
The burning of solid waste and improper disposal of chemicals and oils have also led to water and air pollution.
Worker safety and living conditions
The world’s largest ship graveyard employs thousands of workers, most of whom come from extremely poor areas of the country.
They work without proper safety equipment, resulting in a large number of accidents with serious casualties.
According to local unions, at least 54 workers died in accidents between 2009 and 2012, which has caused concerns from the Global Industry Alliance and the European Union.
Fortunately, in 2019, a hospital was opened in Alang to meet medical needs, as the nearest hospital was previously 50 kilometers away.
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Other Shipbreaking Yards of Interest
There are other large shipbreaking yards such as Ali Agha in Turkey, Chittagong in Bangladesh, and Nouadhibou Bay in Mauritania. Nouadhibou Bay is considered the world’s largest ship graveyard, with over 300 derelict ships, and is more of a landfill than a recycling facility.
In the 1980s, Pakistan’s Gadani Shipbreaking Yard was the largest shipbreaking yard. However, despite the expansion of new shipbreaking yards like Alang, Gadani Shipbreaking Yard could not sustain operations, resulting in a decline in production. Today, Alang Shipbreaking Yard is one of the largest shipbreaking yards in the world, but its scrap steel production is less than one-fifth of what it was in the 1980s.
Challenges facing the largest shipbreaking yard
Demand for ship recycling services at Alang Shipbreaking Yard has fallen sharply, with the yard’s utilization rate falling to just 25%. This has also affected the once thriving second-hand equipment market, forcing companies to import products to ensure their sustainability. Many shipyards are idle as workers wait for new ships to arrive.
Operating costs are rising due to the need to invest in new technologies and upgrade facilities to meet international standards. Complying with strict regulations such as the Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships has also increased financial pressure on yard owners.
The implementation of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for steel produced from recycled ships has led to delays. Unclear certification processes also hamper the supply of recycled steel to the Indian market and undermine competitiveness.
Alang Port faces environmental and health risks. Many workers lack protective equipment and training and continue to suffer from low wages. The risk of fire, explosion and deadly diseases such as cancer is prevalent.
Geopolitical tensions and market volatility have increased uncertainty, affecting the flow of ships to Alang Port and the prices of scrap steel and recycled materials.
Conclusion
The Alang Ship Recycling Yard, also known as the world’s largest ship graveyard, presents huge economic opportunities and challenges for the current shipping industry. This highlights the sheer scale of maritime trade and the urgent need to implement sustainable maritime practices to protect marine ecosystems that are vital to the health of the planet.
As modernization and improvement efforts continue, the Alang area remains in the spotlight, and discussions on economic development, worker safety, and environmental management continue.
