Frequently Asked Questions

ALANG is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat, India. It is the leading center of the worldwide ship breaking and recycling industry. The shipyards at ALANG recycle approximately half of all ships salvaged around the world. The yards are located on the Gulf of Khambat, 50 kilometers southeast of Bhavnagar. Visiting Westerners complain that before shipbreaking began there in June 1983 the beach at ALANG was pristine and unspoiled.

However, locals say that the work provides a reasonably paid job by local standards, with a steady income used to support their families. Large supertankers, car ferries, container ships, and a dwindling number of ocean liners are beached during high tide, and as the tide recedes, hundreds of manual laborers dismantle each ship, salvaging what they can and reducing the rest into scrap. Tens of thousands of jobs are supported by this activity and millions of tons of steel are recovered. The salvage yards at ALANG have generated controversy about working conditions, workers' living conditions, and the impact on the environment. One major problem is that despite many serious work-related injuries, the nearest full service hospital is 50 kilometers away in Bhavnagar. ALANG itself is served by a small Red Cross hospital that offers only limited services.

Due to increase in trend of import of ships for breaking in India, an emphasis was laid to examine various sites suitable for this activity. Amongst various methods of Ship Breaking, the beaching method depends on skillful harnessing of zero cost tidal energy at sheltered coastal locations and warrants the least capital investment. Considering the favorable parameters for beaching method like high tidal range, firm seabed, gentle seaward slope etc., it was decided to set-up a ship breaking yard on the western coast of Gulf of Cambay near ALANG village. The first vessel – MV KOTA TENJONG was beached at ALANG on 13th Feb. 1983. Since then, the yard has witnessed spectacular growth and has emerged as a leading ship Breaking Yard in the world.