Alang

For the village in Iran, see Alang, Iran.

Alang is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Because it is home to the Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Alang beaches are considered the world's largest ship graveyard.^[1][2]

Alang, India
City
Alang
Ships beached at Alang for scrapping, satellite view, 17 March 2017
Alang, India Show map of Gujarat Alang, India Show map of India
Coordinates: 21°23′51″N 72°10′39″E / 21.39750°N 72.17750°E / 21.39750; 72.17750
Country	India
State	Gujarat
District	Bhavnagar
Population  (2001)
• Total	18,464
Languages
• Official	Gujarati, Hindi
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)
PIN	364081
Vehicle registration	GJ 04
Website	gujaratindia.com

Ongoing ship breaking at Alang

SS Norway awaits the ship breakers at Alang, August, 2007

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census,^[3] Alang had a population of 18,464. Males constitute 82% of the population and females 18%. Alang has an average literacy rate of 62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 89% of the males and 11% of females literate. Seven percent of the population is under 6 years of age.^{[citation needed]}

Economy

Mithi Virdi nuclear power plant

Mithi Virdi (or Viradi) is a proposed site consisting of six nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 6,600 MW about 3 km (2 mi) north of the ship breaking beach.^[4]

The proposed nuclear plant has faced heavy opposition from the local population. The area around the proposed plant is known for growing some of the highest-quality kesar mango trees.

Ship Breaking Yard

This section is an excerpt from Alang Ship Breaking Yard.[edit]

 

Satellite image of ships beached at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard

The Alang Ship Breaking Yard is claimed to be the world's largest ship breaking yard, responsible for dismantling a significant number of retired freight and cargo ships salvaged from around the world.^[5][6] It is located on the Gulf of Khambhat by the town of Alang, in the district of Bhavnagar in the state of Gujarat, India.^{[7][8][9][10][11][12][13]}

Since its establishment in 1983,^[14] the shipyard is believed to have acquired a total of USD $110.6 billion in aggregate value, including total assets. Its growth has prompted its extension northeast towards Sosiya in Gujarat, and it's now often referred to as the Alang-Sosiya Yard.^[15][16]

In popular culture

On the Road to Alang^[17] is a 2005 documentary on passenger ships scrapped at Alang, by Peter Knego of Maritime Matters.^[18]

Shipbreakers is a 2004 documentary on the industry in Alang by Michael Kot.^[19]

World War Z, a 2006 novel by Max Brooks, features Alang as a destination for refugees seeking to escape a zombie plague by sea.

Battlefield 2042, a 2021 first-person shooter, features Alang as the setting for the multiplayer map Discarded.^[20]

See also

• List of companies of India
• Ship-Submarine Recycling Program
• Alang Ship Breaking Yard
• Gadani Ship Breaking Yard
• Chittagong Ship Breaking Yard
• Aliağa Ship Breaking Yard

References

1. "FSX Seawise Giant Ultra Tanker". Fly Away Simulation. from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
2. . citypincode.in. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
3. . Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
4. . Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
5. Langewiesche, William. "The Shipbreakers". August 2000;; Volume 286, No. 2; page 31-49. The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
6. "5 killed in Alang Port Shipbreaking yard blast in Gujarat". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
7. "FSX Seawise Giant Ultra Tanker". Fly Away Simulation. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
8. "India plans to double Alang shipbreaking capacity • Recycling International". Recycling International. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
9. "Doubling ship recycling capacity by 2024: Are we ready?". www.downtoearth.org.in. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
10. "Carnival Fantasy arrived at Turkey's Aliaga shipbreaking yard for scrapping | Cruise News". CruiseMapper. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
11. "Ship recycling yard in Gujarat sees a dip in business". The Financial Express. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
12. "How world's largest graveyard of ships turned the tide - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
13. Khakhariya, Nimesh (2 February 2021). "Ship recycling to create 1.5 lakh more jobs in three years". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
14. "India". NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
15. "Ship Recycling in Alang – The Changing Scenario". 20 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
16. "Gujarat lockdown relaxation: First vessel beached at one of biggest ship recycling yards". Deccan Herald. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
17. . Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
18. . Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
19. "SHIPBREAKERS (2004)" (PDF). (PDF) from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
20. Arts, Electronic (7 June 2021). "Battlefield 2042 Maps – Electronic Arts". Electronic Arts Inc. from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.

External links

• Analysis at Alang Today

 

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Alang.

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alang.