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The end of a vessel's life. This directory covers the 6 major ship-recycling yard clusters worldwide, with focus on Hong Kong Convention 2009 compliance status (the international framework that entered force 26 June 2025), ISO 30000 certification, capacity, and — critically — the fatality-rate records that make the sector one of the most dangerous industrial workplaces on earth. Career pathway notes for ex-seafarers considering recycling-yard superintendent, IHM surveyor, or HKC compliance-officer roles.
Alang–Sosiya on Gujarat's Gulf of Khambhat is the world's largest ship-recycling site by LDT throughput. Established 1983 by the Gujarat Maritime Board, the 15-km beach hosts 183 numbered plots operated by ~100 recycling companies. Beaching…
Chittagong (formally the Sitakunda coast) hosts ~65 ship-recycling plots between the Karnaphuli river mouth and the Sitakunda coastline. Bangladesh ratified the Hong Kong Convention in September 2023 and the sector is now undergoing a subst…
Aliağa on the Turkish Aegean coast is Europe's primary ship-recycling destination and — since the EU Ship Recycling Regulation came into force in December 2018 — the only Mediterranean yard cluster approved to handle EU-flag vessels. The 22…
Gadani on the Balochistan coast north of Karachi hosts ~132 plots operated primarily by Pashtun and Punjabi labour on 3-6 month rotational contracts. Historically the world's largest recycling yard until Alang overtook it in the 1980s, Gada…
Jiangyin on the Yangtze estuary is China's largest ship-recycling cluster and the industry model for dock-based (as opposed to beach-based) recycling in Asia. Yards operate concrete dry docks with mechanical cranes; the environmental and sa…
Brownsville, Texas hosts three US-flag ship-recycling contractors (International Shipbreaking Limited, All Star Metals, Marine Metals) that between them handle almost all US-flag recycling tonnage plus the US Navy Inactive Ships Programme +…