The Shipbreakers of Alang: The Cycle of Life and Death

🚢Alang is the biggest ship graveyard in the world, where ships are beached and dismantled for scrap.

🔥Shipbreaking is a dangerous job, but it provides employment for thousands of impoverished workers.

🌊The shipbreaking process involves towing the ships ashore during high tide and dismantling them section by section.

♻️Shipbreaking is a major recycling operation, with millions of tonnes of steel being produced annually.

🙏Workers at the shipbreaking yard perform rituals and prayers to the goddess Kali for protection.

What is shipbreaking?

—Shipbreaking is the process of dismantling ships for scrap, usually done in shipbreaking yards.

Why is shipbreaking done in Alang?

—Alang is geographically well-suited for shipbreaking, with high tides that allow ships to be easily beached.

What are the dangers of shipbreaking?

—Shipbreaking is a dangerous job, involving risks such as toxic fumes, heavy machinery accidents, and falling debris.

How does shipbreaking contribute to recycling?

—Shipbreaking is a major source of recycled steel, with millions of tonnes of steel being produced annually.

Are there any environmental concerns with shipbreaking?

—Shipbreaking can lead to environmental pollution from toxic substances, oil spills, and improper waste management.

01:40Alang is the largest ship graveyard in the world, believed to be protected by the goddess Kali.

02:20Alang is located on India's Bay of Cambay and is where ships come to be dismantled.

05:20Shipbreaking involves thousands of workers tearing apart ships by hand on a 10-kilometer stretch of oily sand.

13:00Shipbreaking in Alang is a major recycling operation, with millions of tonnes of steel being produced annually.

19:21Workers at the shipbreaking yard perform rituals and prayers to the goddess Kali for protection.