Gujarat, Japan in tie up to upgrade Alang shipyard

Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan to upgrade infrastructure at Asia's largest ship dismantling yard at Alang in Bhavnagar, a top official said.

GMB, which operates and regulates ports in the state, is seeking technology transfer and financial assistance to upgrade the yard at Alang to international standards.

"We will undertake modernisation and mechanisation of the ship dismantling works at Alang yard, which we want to make IMO (International Maritime Organisation) complied ship recycling yard in the world," a senior GMB official said.

The MoU also includes construction and operation of a common hazardous waste removal pre-treatment facility, modernisation of recyclable goods market and development of human resources.

Japan External Trade organisation and Japan Development Institute will carry out a feasibility study of the existing set up at the yard and suggest various ways and methods of upgrade, the official said.

"The project will be completed by 2012-13 and subsequently we will be getting ships from Japan for dismantling," he said, adding, that Japan owns more than 15 per cent ships in the world.

Meanwhile, Alang has seen revival in ship-dismantling works, which had dipped following the global economic downturn.

"At present, more than 130 ships are lying in various plots in Alang. In the last three months, around 100 ships have arrived for dismantling," a GMB official from Alang said.

According to him, there are 132 shipyards operational in Alang and more than 15,000 workers engaged in dismantling ships.