Bhavnagar: A few years after witnessing stagnation, Alang ship-breaking yard is showing early signs of revival. Official data from the Gujarat government indicates a 13% increase in arrivals of end-of-life ships during the first five months of the current financial year.

According to reports, between April and August 2025, 44 ageing vessels, totaling four lakh light displacement tonnage (LDT), were beached for dismantling and recycling. This marks a rise from 39 ships and four lakh LDT during the same period last year. This modest recovery offers some hope for Alang, which has experienced a sharp downturn over the past decade.

However, although there has been an uptick, industry experts caution that structural challenges remain, including stiff international competition, stricter environmental regulations, and the global push for cleaner ship recycling under the Hong Kong Convention.

A report from BusinessLine quoted a shipbreaker saying, “The situation has been dull for more than a decade and the government has not been able to help us. Currently, Alang is operating at about 25–30 per cent of its capacity.”

Notably, the government has provided substantial support to Alang, including customs duty cuts, reduced plot rents, lower labour cess, and reimbursement of up to ₹50 lakh per yard for investments made to achieve Hong Kong Convention compliance.