Snapshot

• Why Alang is iconic:
  Alang, located in Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, is the world’s largest shipbreaking yard, stretching over 10 km along the Gulf of Khambhat.
  Operational since 1983, Alang handles ~50% of the global ship recycling volume annually, dismantling 200–250 ships per year and recovering 3–4 million tonnes of steel.
  The cluster is central to India’s maritime recycling economy, contributing to raw material for the steel industry, and providing employment to ~30,000 workers.
  
• Global Positioning:
  Alang is a key maritime hub, aligned with the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships and India’s own Ship Recycling Act, 2019, making it a model for sustainable shipbreaking globally.
  

Product Range

Category	Key Products/Outputs
Ship Steel Scrap	Recovered mild steel plates, beams, re-rollable scrap
Non-Ferrous Metals	Copper, aluminum, brass, lead, stainless steel
Machinery & Spares	Ship engines, turbines, compressors, pumps
Electrical Systems	Generators, wiring, lighting, navigation equipment
Marine Furniture & Fixtures	Cabin furniture, safety gear, ship interiors
Recycled Products	Scrap steel for rolling mills, refurbished marine equipment

Cluster Strengths

Feature	Details
Global Leadership	Largest ship recycling yard worldwide, 153 plots for dismantling
Scale & Capacity	Can handle vessels up to 70,000 LDT (Light Displacement Tonnage)
Sustainability Model	Among first yards globally to comply with IMO’s Hong Kong Convention
Employment Generator	30,000+ direct jobs and 100,000+ indirect livelihoods
Steel Industry Backbone	Supplies ~10% of India’s scrap steel requirement

Materials & Sustainability

• Materials Recovered: Steel, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, stainless steel, machinery, wood, furniture
  
• Innovation:
  
  • Use of green cutting methods (cold cutting, hydraulic shears)
    
  • Upgraded environmental infrastructure (stormwater drains, impermeable flooring)
    
  • Digital inventory systems for ships and parts
    
• Sustainability Initiatives:
  
  • IMO Hong Kong Convention and Ship Recycling Act, 2019 compliance
    
  • Hazardous Waste Management facilities (asbestos, PCB handling)
    
  • First cluster in India to adopt EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) standards
    

Cluster Infrastructure

• Geography: Coastal cluster in Bhavnagar district, 50 km from Bhavnagar Port
  
• Shipbreaking Plots: 153 yards operated by Alang-Sosiya Ship Recycling Yard (ASSRY)
  
• Support Facilities:
  
  • Common Hazardous Waste Treatment Plant
    
  • Training institutes for worker safety (GMB Ship Recycling Training Institute)
    
  • Fire and emergency stations
    
• Connectivity: Access to Bhavnagar Port for ship anchorage, NH51 for logistics, and rail connectivity to steel re-rolling hubs
  

Compliance & Certifications

Certification	Details
HKC Certification	Hong Kong Convention for ship recycling
EU SRR Certification	EU Ship Recycling Regulation compliance
ISO 9001/14001/45001	Quality, environmental, and occupational safety standards
IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials)	Mandatory for vessels entering Alang
GMB Certification	Gujarat Maritime Board accreditation for recycling yards

Production Timelines & Process Flow

Stage	Typical Timeline	Description
Ship Beached & Secured	1–2 days	Vessel safely grounded for dismantling
Hazardous Material Removal	1–2 weeks	Asbestos, PCB, oil residues safely removed
Hull Cutting & Steel Recovery	4–6 weeks	Manual and mechanical cutting of ship structure
Component Salvage	Ongoing	Engines, furniture, and equipment salvaged
Scrap Transport	Continuous	Steel sent to rolling mills and foundrie

Branding & Packaging

• Branding: Certification tags for recycled steel (EU SRR, HKC)
  
• Packaging: Bundled steel scrap, containerized non-ferrous metals, refurbished marine components for resale
  
• Marketing Narrative:
  “Alang: The world’s largest ship recycling yard, pioneering sustainable maritime dismantling and circular economy practices for global shipping.”
  

Quality Control (IndiaUnbox Protocol)

• Steel QC: Ultrasonic thickness checks, chemical composition testing
  
• Hazardous Waste QC: IHM compliance audits, pollution control board monitoring
  
• Worker Safety QC: PPE compliance, training certifications, incident tracking
  
• Export QC: Material segregation and certification for EU, IMO regulations
  

Price Drivers

• Ship LDT (Light Displacement Tonnage) and scrap steel market rates
  
• Hazardous material removal cost (asbestos, oils, PCBs)
  
• Yard certifications (EU SRR/HKC) and compliance costs
  
• Fuel, logistics, and dismantling labor costs
  
• International freight and commodity price volatility
  

Buyer Confidence Signals

• Global Compliance Leadership: First in Asia to achieve EU SRR and HKC certification
  
• Scale & Expertise: Handles ~50% of the world’s ship recycling volume
  
• Circular Economy Impact: Supplies affordable steel and machinery to MSMEs
  
• Skilled Workforce: Workers trained in hazardous waste and green dismantling
  
• Government Oversight: Managed by Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) with strong regulation