Jiangyin Ship Recycling Yards
Jiangyin, Jiangsu province, China · China · Founded 1980
- Plot count
- 15
- Capacity
- 800,000 LDT/year
- HKC compliance
- China ratified HKC 2016; Chinese recycling yards operate to the higher domestic Chinese standard (dock-based, no beaching).
- ISO 30000
- Certified
- Typical vessels
- Chinese-flag domestic fleet + returning Chinese-controlled foreign-flag vessels. Not typically used for non-Chinese-controlled tonnage due to preferential domestic pricing.
Overview
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 safety profile is substantially better than beaching-method yards. Jiangyin primarily processes Chinese-flag domestic tonnage plus returning Chinese-controlled foreign-flag vessels at end-of-life. The Chinese government's tonnage-recycling subsidy scheme (particularly during the 2016-2020 downturn) drove significant volume, though the market has cooled since 2022. For non-Chinese-controlled vessels, Jiangyin pricing is typically 30-50% below Alang — but customs, translation, and delivery complexity add costs that make the delivered pricing similar. Chinese owners rarely recycle their tonnage outside China due to domestic subsidy structures.
Safety
Dock-based recycling method (no tidal beaching); fatality rate closer to European yards than to South Asian.
Career pathway
Chinese-language capability is essential; limited career pathway for non-Mandarin speakers. Chinese Register of Shipping (CCS) HKC certification programme is a career pathway for Chinese-national marine surveyors.