Aliağa Ship Recycling Zone

Aliağa, İzmir province, western Turkey · Turkey · Founded 1976

Plot count: 22
Capacity: 1,200,000 LDT/year
HKC compliance: Turkey ratified HKC 2013; EU Ship Recycling Regulation (SRR) compliant. All Aliağa yards on the EU-approved list for European-flag recycling.
ISO 30000: Certified
Typical vessels: European-flag bulkers, tankers, ferries, warships. Handles a substantial share of European-flag recyclable tonnage due to SRR compliance.

Overview

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 yards operate on a landing-slip (semi-beaching) method with hardened concrete slipways and mechanical cutting, which produces significantly better environmental containment than tidal beaching. Aliağa handles European navy vessels, ferries, cruise ships at end-of-life, and increasingly the mid-sized tanker and bulker tonnage that European owners cannot legally deliver to Alang or Chittagong under SRR. Fatality rates are dramatically lower than South Asian yards, though not zero.

Safety

SRR-compliant environmental controls; fatality rate substantially lower than South Asian yards. Occasional single-worker incidents; no mass-casualty incidents 2015-2024.

Career pathway

SRR-compliance auditor + IHM surveyor roles active. IIMS accreditation + EU-language capability (particularly Greek, Italian, French) command a premium. Turkish government has invested heavily in Aliağa upgrading; substantial Sector 4.0 automation programme rolling out 2024-2028.