Complete Guide to Alang Ship Recycling Yard, Gujarat, India

What is Alang Ship Recycling Yard?

Alang Ship Recycling Yard is the largest ship recycling location in the world, stretching along approximately 10 kilometres of the Gulf of Khambhat coastline in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. Since the first vessel was beached at Alang in February 1983, the yard has recycled more than 8,000 ships, recovering over 80 million tonnes of high-quality re-rollable steel that feeds India's construction and infrastructure sectors.

On any given month, Alang handles between 20 and 40 vessel arrivals — bulk carriers, tankers, container ships, gas carriers, offshore supply vessels, ro-ro ferries and even retired naval units. The yard accounts for roughly 30 percent of global ship recycling tonnage by light displacement tonnage (LDT), well ahead of Chittagong (Bangladesh), Gadani (Pakistan), and Aliaga (Turkey).

Location, Geography & How to Reach Alang

Alang is located on the western edge of the Gulf of Khambhat, approximately 50 kilometres south-east of Bhavnagar city. The nearest major airport is Bhavnagar (BHU) for domestic flights, with Ahmedabad (AMD) — 270 km north — for international arrivals. Mumbai is roughly 450 km south by road and rail.

The geography is critical to why ship recycling concentrated here. The Gulf of Khambhat has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world — spring tides reach 10 to 11 metres at Alang. The gentle gradient of the muddy beach combined with this extreme tide allows even the largest VLCC tankers and Capesize bulkers to be driven aground on a single high tide. No other major recycling location combines this tidal range, gradient and accessibility in a single coastline.

How Ship Recycling at Alang Works (Step-by-Step)

1. Sale & nomination

A ship owner decides to recycle a vessel and engages a cash buyer (Wirana, GMS, Best Oasis, Star Asia, etc.). The cash buyer takes ownership and nominates the vessel for delivery to Alang. At this point a local Bhavnagar port agent is appointed to handle the Indian side of the operation.

2. Delivery voyage

The vessel sails or is towed to Alang outer anchorage. Tankers complete gas-freeing before arrival; container ships, bulkers and cargo vessels arrive in light condition. Voyage times range from 4 days (Singapore) to 25 days (Mediterranean) depending on origin.

3. Pre-arrival documentation

The appointed port agent files ICEGATE customs entries, Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) intimation, BIS pre-shipment inspection appointment, and the marine chemist nomination — all before the vessel reaches outer anchorage. Our port agency desk handles every step within the agreed Proforma Disbursement Account (PDA).

4. Customs clearance & marine chemist boarding

On arrival, customs issues the Out-of-Charge order. The marine chemist boards at anchorage to issue the safe-for-beaching gas-free certificate. Both documents are mandatory before beaching can proceed.

5. Beaching

The licensed beaching master boards the vessel and drives it ashore on a rising spring tide. This is the single most critical operation in the entire recycling lifecycle — see the dedicated section below.

6. Handover

The cash buyer hands over the vessel to the recycling yard (one of 150+ plot operators). The closing documentation pack includes the Master Statement of Facts, GMB beaching certificate, customs OOC, marine chemist certificate, MARPOL waste manifests and the BIS pre-shipment inspection.

7. Crew repatriation

Delivery crew — usually 12 to 20 seafarers from multiple nationalities — sign off, complete FRRO immigration at Bhavnagar, and are flown home via Ahmedabad or Mumbai. Crew transfer typically completes within 48-72 hours of beaching.

8. Yard cutting

Initial demolition starts on the upper accommodation block and bridge wings. Within 4-6 months, depending on vessel size, the entire hull is dismantled with re-rollable steel, machinery, furniture and fittings sorted and trucked out for reuse or smelting.

Alang Plots: Structure and Capacity

The Alang yard is divided into approximately 175 individual plots, each operated by a separate licensed recycler. Plots range from approximately 30 metres to 70 metres of beach frontage. Each plot is licensed by the Gujarat Maritime Board and operated under a long-term lease. Recyclers include established Indian groups such as Priya Blue Industries, Leela Ship Recycling, R K Industries, Y S Investment, Best Oasis (cash buyer with recycling capability), Hariyana Ship Recycling, and many others.

Larger plots accept Capesize, VLCC and Suezmax vessels (50,000+ LDT). Smaller plots typically handle Handysize bulkers, general cargo, offshore vessels and small tankers. Plot allocation depends on the cash buyer's commercial relationship with the recycler.

The Beaching Process Explained

Beaching is the controlled grounding of a fully-laden delivery vessel on the muddy gradient of an Alang plot. The operation requires precise tidal calculation, an experienced beaching master, harbour tugs, and meticulous pre-planning. A bad beaching can damage the vessel hull (reducing scrap value) or — in worst cases — cause environmental incidents.

A typical beaching sequence at Alang:

• Tide calculation — spring tide forecast confirms a tidal range of 9.0 to 9.5 metres minimum on the planned date
• Pilot boarding — the licensed beaching pilot boards at the outer anchorage approximately 4 hours before high water
• Tug escort — typically two harbour tugs of 45 to 60 tonnes bollard pull, with a third on standby for VLCC and Capesize units
• Master-pilot exchange — formal handover of conduct from Master to beaching pilot
• Final approach — a controlled run-up at 6 to 8 knots on engine half-ahead, with rudder neutral or slight correction
• Touchdown — the bow grounds cleanly and the vessel rises 1 to 2 metres above the high-water line
• Securing — main engine stopped, anchors deployed, vessel is now a fixed asset of the recycling plot

Ocean Star Shipping's beaching pilotage team has handled vessels from 28,500 DWT general cargo ships up to 312,400 DWT VLCC tankers — see our recent delivery reports for case-by-case detail.

HKC Compliance & Environmental Standards

The Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC) was adopted by the IMO in 2009 and entered into force on 26 June 2025. Many Alang plots achieved Statements of Compliance from international classification societies (ClassNK, RINA, IRClass) well before this date — the first batch in 2015, and over 100 plots are now HKC-compliant.

HKC compliance covers:

• Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) verification on arrival
• Ship Recycling Plan (SRP) approval by Gujarat Maritime Board
• Safe working procedures, fire safety, PPE and worker training
• Controlled handling of asbestos, PCBs, ozone-depleting substances
• Waste segregation, hazardous waste tracking, MARPOL Annex V receipts
• Independent annual audits by the certifying class society

For ship owners, recycling at an HKC-compliant Alang plot satisfies both EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) commercial requirements and IMO HKC convention obligations.

Documents Required to Deliver a Vessel to Alang

The standard documentation pack for an Alang ship recycling delivery includes:

• Bill of Sale and Protocol of Delivery & Acceptance (cash buyer ↔ owner)
• Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM) Part I
• Master's Statement of Facts at arrival, beaching, and handover
• Customs out-of-charge order (ICEGATE)
• BIS pre-shipment inspection certificate
• Marine chemist gas-free / safe-for-beaching certificate
• Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) beaching certificate
• MARPOL Annex I, IV, V and VI waste delivery manifests
• Ship Recycling Plan (SRP) approval from GMB
• Crew lists, sea-service certificates, CDC stamps for sign-off
• Class certificate cancellation, flag deletion request

Why You Need a Bhavnagar-Based Port Agent

Alang is not a regular commercial port — it is a specialised recycling location with its own documentation flow, GMB rules, beaching pilot licensing, and tight tidal-window operations. A local Bhavnagar-based port agent is essential because:

• Customs & GMB relationships — pre-arrival filings, fast-track clearances, on-the-ground escalation when documents need correction
• Beaching pilot coordination — only licensed beaching masters can conduct the grounding, and slot allocation needs an agent who books the pilot directly
• Crew sign-off support — FRRO immigration, hotel, transport to Ahmedabad / Mumbai airports, multi-currency wage handling
• Marine chemist scheduling — same-day boarding on arrival, with backup chemists available for delays
• Cost transparency — agreed PDA budgets with line-by-line disbursements; no surprise port fees
• 24/7 operations desk — vessel arrivals do not align with business hours; tide windows can shift overnight

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the full delivery process take at Alang?

From outer anchorage arrival to crew sign-off is typically 48 to 96 hours. From handover to first cutting is usually 2 to 5 days. Full yard dismantling of the vessel takes 3 to 9 months depending on size.

Can a vessel under arrest or with port-state-control deficiencies be delivered?

Generally no. Port-state, class and flag clearances must be in order before customs OOC is issued. A specialist port agent can sometimes navigate complex cases but the legal risk sits with the cash buyer and owner.

What is the difference between "as-is where-is" and "delivered Alang" sales?

"As-is where-is" means the buyer takes the vessel at its current location and handles delivery themselves. "Delivered Alang" means the seller is responsible for delivery up to the outer anchorage at Alang, including gas-freeing and crew. Most modern cash-buyer transactions are "delivered Alang" with the cash buyer taking over from outer anchorage.

How are port disbursements paid?

A Proforma Disbursement Account (PDA) is agreed before arrival, typically paid as an advance by the cash buyer. Final Disbursement Account (FDA) reconciles within 7 to 14 days after handover. Ocean Star Shipping issues fully itemised FDA with supporting receipts for every line.

Does Ocean Star Shipping handle non-recycling vessel calls at Bhavnagar/Pipavav?

Yes — port agency services for commercial port calls at Bhavnagar Port, Pipavav, Mundra and Hazira are part of our core offer. See our services page for the full list.