Alang Ship Breaking Yard

Alang Ship Breaking Yard is a facility for dismantling ships along a 14-kilometer stretch of coast in Gujarat, where over 180 individual operations work side by side. The shallow sandy beaches allow retired cargo vessels and tankers to be processed directly on the shore during low tide and taken apart into components.

Operations began in February 1983 with a cargo vessel that marked the start of an industry attracting thousands of people. Over the following decades the site developed into the largest center of its kind worldwide, where hundreds of ships are processed each year.

Workers live for months in temporary shelters along the coast, salvaging steel parts and sorting recyclable materials. The group of men follows a rhythm between tide and ebb that determines the dismantling work and structures daily life.

The site is remote and accessible to visitors only with permission, as work takes place continuously. The best view of the facility comes from the nearby road section, from which you can see the rows of beached ships.

The tides are so favorable that ships can drive straight onto the beach at high tide and rest dry at low tide, eliminating the need for docks or cranes. This natural advantage makes dismantling easier than at most other coasts worldwide.

GPS coordinates: 21.41000,72.19750

Latest update: December 13, 2025 18:58