Alang

City in Gujarat, India

21°23′51″N 72°10′39″E / 21.39750°N 72.17750°E / 21.39750; 72.17750CountryIndiaStateGujaratDistrictBhavnagarPopulation

(2001)

• Total18,464Languages

• OfficialGujarati, HindiTime zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)PIN

364081

Vehicle registrationGJ 04Websitegujaratindia.com

Alang is a census town in Bhavnagar district in the Indian state of Gujarat. Because it is home to the Alang Ship Breaking Yard, Alang beaches are considered the world's largest ship graveyard.^[1]^[2]

Demographics

As of the 2001 Indian census,^[3] Alang had a population of 18,464. Males constitute 82% of the population and females 18%. Alang has an average literacy rate of 62%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with 89% of the males and 11% of females literate. Seven percent of the population is under 6 years of age.^{[citation needed]}

Economy

Mithi Virdi nuclear power plant

Mithi Virdi (or Viradi) is a proposed site consisting of six nuclear reactors with a total capacity of 6,600 MW about 3 km (2 mi) north of the ship breaking beach.^[4]

The proposed nuclear plant has faced heavy opposition from the local population. The area around the proposed plant is known for growing some of the highest-quality kesar mango trees.

Ship Breaking Yard

This section is an excerpt from Alang Ship Breaking Yard.[edit]

The Alang Ship Breaking Yard is claimed to be the world's largest ship breaking yard, responsible for dismantling a significant number of retired freight and cargo ships salvaged from around the world.^[5]^[6] It is located on the Gulf of Khambhat by the town of Alang, in the district of Bhavnagar in the state of Gujarat, India.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]^[13]

Since its establishment in 1983,^[14] the shipyard is believed to have acquired a total of US$110.6 billion in aggregate value, including total assets. Its growth has prompted its extension northeast towards Sosiya in Gujarat, and it's now often referred to as the Alang-Sosiya Yard.^[15]^[16]

In popular culture

On the Road to Alang^[17] is a 2005 documentary on passenger ships scrapped at Alang, by Peter Knego of Maritime Matters.^[18]

Shipbreakers is a 2004 documentary on the industry in Alang by Michael Kot.^[19]

World War Z, a 2006 novel by Max Brooks, features Alang as a destination for refugees seeking to escape a zombie plague by sea.

Battlefield 2042, a 2021 first-person shooter, features Alang as the setting for the multiplayer map Discarded.^[20]

References

^ "FSX Seawise Giant Ultra Tanker". Fly Away Simulation. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "Alang Pin Code". citypincode.in. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
^ "Census of India 2001: Data from the 2001 Census, including cities, villages and towns (Provisional)". Census Commission of India. Archived from the original on 16 June 2004. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
^ "Centre seeks to settle nuclear deal dust". Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 6 November 2013.
^ Langewiesche, William. "The Shipbreakers". August 2000;; Volume 286, No. 2; page 31-49. The Atlantic Monthly. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
^ "5 killed in Alang Port Shipbreaking yard blast in Gujarat". IANS. news.biharprabha.com. Retrieved 28 June 2014.
^ "FSX Seawise Giant Ultra Tanker". Fly Away Simulation. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "India plans to double Alang shipbreaking capacity • Recycling International". Recycling International. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "Doubling ship recycling capacity by 2024: Are we ready?". www.downtoearth.org.in. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "Carnival Fantasy arrived at Turkey's Aliaga shipbreaking yard for scrapping | Cruise News". CruiseMapper. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "Ship recycling yard in Gujarat sees a dip in business". The Financial Express. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "How world's largest graveyard of ships turned the tide - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ Khakhariya, Nimesh (2 February 2021). "Ship recycling to create 1.5 lakh more jobs in three years". The Times of India. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
^ "India". NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ "Ship Recycling in Alang – The Changing Scenario". 20 August 2018.
^ "Gujarat lockdown relaxation: First vessel beached at one of biggest ship recycling yards". Deccan Herald. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
^ "On The Road To Alang". Archived from the original on 12 January 2008. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
^ "Peter Knego". Archived from the original on 13 December 2007. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
^ "SHIPBREAKERS (2004)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
^ Arts, Electronic (7 June 2021). "Battlefield 2042 Maps – Electronic Arts". Electronic Arts Inc. Archived from the original on 9 June 2021. Retrieved 12 June 2021.