shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » India: Ship-Breaking Booms Despite Global Economic Meltdown

India: Ship-Breaking Booms Despite Global Economic Meltdown

by Joshua
March 30, 2009
in Uncategorized

A global economic slowdown has hit industries ranging from automakers to investment banks, but in one small town on the western coast of India, business is at record levels and workers can hardly keep up with demand.
In Alang on the coast of Gujarat State, home to the world’s largest ship-breaking facility, the financial year to April will be one of the best ever, as a slowdown in global trade and lower freight rates mean that ships are being scrapped faster.
But there is a flip side. Activists fret that the booming business will encourage a disregard for safety and environmental guidelines, which they say ship-breakers are already flouting.
Along an 11-kilometer, or 7-mile, coastline, beached oil tankers and cargo carriers lie in various stages of disembowelment. Peculiar tide patterns that bring high tide only twice a month allow the beaching of ships right at the yards.
Men in blue overalls and hard hats, operating cranes and wielding blowtorches, hacksaws and hammers swarm over the beached ships, many condemned to a premature end because of the slowdown.
“Idle ships are a huge financial burden, so ship owners don’t have any option but to get rid of their ships, even if it means scrapping them years ahead of schedule,” said Vishnu Kumar Gupta, joint secretary at the Alang Ship Breakers Association.
Alang has received more than 125 ships in the past three months, compared with 136 in all of 2007 and 2008, Mr. Gupta said. Ship-breakers expect the total this year to reach 250.
“In the past five to six years of the boom, very few ships were scrapped, and we were working on zero margins, as there was intense competition for the few ships that were coming in,” Mr. Gupta said.
Ships were once either sunk or taken apart in the countries where they had been built, before high costs and environmental restrictions drove ship-breaking efforts elsewhere.
India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh do 80 percent of the world’s ship-breaking business. Labor activists say that is largely because labor costs are low and safety standards are lax failing to protect workers who are exposed to toxic chemicals as they dismantle the vessels.
About 150 to 200 workers can break down a 10,000-ton ship in three months, salvaging nearly every part.


Related Posts

SHIPTALK: Basics About A Ship

SHIPTALK: Basics About A Ship

January 27, 2023
NAGAFF Congratulates Newly Promoted Comptrollers, Charges Them On Professionalism

NAGAFF Congratulates Newly Promoted Comptrollers, Charges Them On Professionalism

January 27, 2023
ONE To Acquire Three U.S. West Coast Container Terminals

ONE To Acquire Three U.S. West Coast Container Terminals

December 29, 2022
Shippers’ Council Collaborates With Institute On Training

Shippers’ Council Collaborates With Institute On Training

September 23, 2022

Discussion about this post

Latest News

“Anyone talking about 15% equity in CVFF is ignorant”

“Anyone talking about 15% equity in CVFF is ignorant”

January 27, 2023

Industry Advises Philippines on Training as EU Considers Crew Ban

SHIPTALK: Basics About A Ship

NAGAFF Congratulates Newly Promoted Comptrollers, Charges Them On Professionalism

Beware Of Activities Against Aquatic Plants, Animals – Marine NGO Warns

The World Awaits Trial Of Crew Of Heroic Idun In A Nigerian Court

All Set For Obangame Express 2023 International Maritime Exercise

Our Real Fears About The CVFF Disbursement

VESSELS EXPECTED AT LAGOS PORTS AS AT 27TH JANUARY, 2023.

Media Crucial To Nation Building- Channels TV Boss

Lekki Deep Seaport To Boost Non-Oil Revenue — NEPC

Military Destroys 39 Illegal Refineries, Apprehends Oil Thieves, Vandals

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

Unhealthy Environment Causes 12.6m Deaths Worldwide, WHO Says
Health

Unhealthy Environment Causes 12.6m Deaths Worldwide, WHO Says

December 19, 2022

The World Health Organisation has said that the number of people estimated to have died as a result of living...

Health Benefits And Side Effects Of Bitter Leaf

Health Benefits And Side Effects Of Bitter Leaf

December 12, 2022
More Women May Die During Childbirth In West Africa — Report

More Women May Die During Childbirth In West Africa — Report

December 12, 2022
The Many Wonderful Uses Of Onions

The Many Wonderful Uses Of Onions

December 5, 2022
Nigeria Yet To Achieve 70% COVID-19 Immunisation Coverage, Says NPHCDA

Nigeria Yet To Achieve 70% COVID-19 Immunisation Coverage, Says NPHCDA

December 5, 2022
COVID-19 Cases Increasing, Continue With Preventive Measures — UITH-ARD Warns

COVID-19 Cases Increasing, Continue With Preventive Measures — UITH-ARD Warns

December 5, 2022
Panic As Monkeypox Spreads To 32 States, Cases Now 604

Panic As Monkeypox Spreads To 32 States, Cases Now 604

November 28, 2022
Over 1bn Youths Risk Hearing Loss From Headphones, Loud Music — Study

Over 1bn Youths Risk Hearing Loss From Headphones, Loud Music — Study

November 28, 2022
Consuming Undercooked Meat May Lead To Tuberculosis — Epidemiologist

Consuming Undercooked Meat May Lead To Tuberculosis — Epidemiologist

November 28, 2022
Infertility Red Flags Men, Women Should Not Ignore – Experts

Infertility Red Flags Men, Women Should Not Ignore – Experts

November 28, 2022

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition