Ship graveyard of Nouadhibou

The graveyard is a sprawling collection of abandoned vessels along the Mauritanian coast, where over 300 rusted wrecks sit in shallow water. Hulls jut above the surface, some surrounded by sand and seaweed, others still partly upright in the bay.

Ships began piling up in the 1980s when owners paid fees to dump old vessels here rather than dismantle them properly. The practice continued through the following decades, despite international concerns about environmental harm from the wrecks.

Workers search the abandoned ships for metal and usable materials, turning salvage into a trade that feeds families living near the shore. Some locals take visitors by boat through the wrecks, sharing stories about the stranded vessels and how they ended up here.

You can observe the wrecks from the shore or arrange a boat tour with locals to move between the ships. Access is easiest at low tide, when more hulls become visible and morning temperatures are cooler.

The decaying ships have formed reefs beneath the water, attracting fish and creating habitats for marine life. Some fishermen work near the wrecks, where schools gather around the submerged metal.