Continuous decline in the number of ships coming to Alang
Bhavnagar: There was a time when Alang Ship Breaking Yard existed. India’s largest ship breaking yard is losing its dignity today. The number of ships at Alang Ship Breaking Yard has been declining in the last 5 years. As a result, countries like Bangladesh and Turkey have overtaken India in the field of ship breaking. The Shipbreaking Association is concerned as the number of ships is decreasing every year.
Declining order for five consecutive years: The number of ships at Alang Ship Breaking Yard has been declining for the last five consecutive years. 219 in 2018, 202 in 2020, 189 in 2021, 131 in 2022 and now only 81 in 2023. The cruise figure in 2023 will likely set a record for the lowest figure. Whereas in the year 2011, the maximum number of 415 ships arrived. Globally, 111 ships have reached ship breaking yards in different countries this year. In which 54 ships have gone to Bangladesh, 14 ships to Turkey, 29 ships to India and 5 ships to Pakistan.
BIS Act: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act has proved to be the bane of many ship breaking yards. There is a great need to change the BIS law to compete with other countries of the world which are ahead of us in ship breaking. After breaking the first ship, its iron was used to make rods, pipes, bars and angles in local rolling mills and yards. Now rods will not be manufactured as per BIS rules. Alang Ship Breaking Yard has also presented its stand before the Central Government on this issue. Earlier, when ships were broken here and the rolling mills here used to make pipes, bars, angles as well as rods from iron plates, the ship breakers used to get profit. Which is now banned as per BIS Act. Due to this law, ship breakers have to suffer financial loss. Now ship breakers hesitate before taking a ship for breaking. Therefore, the moribund isolated ship breaking yards can get a new lease of life only if the BIS Act is amended.
We are getting adequate support from the state government. We have proposed to the Central Government to amend the BIS Act. BIS team has also visited here 2 to 3 times. According to maritime law, the iron of a ship is very strong. The rods made from it are also very strong. Alang Ship Breaking Yard can survive in the world class competition only if the Central Government amends the BIS Act… Ramesh Mendapara (Chairman, Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Bhavnagar)
