Ship-breaking capacity at Gujarat’s Alang to be doubled: Sarbananda Sonowal

"With the proposed expansion plan of doubling the capacity of yards, the employment opportunity will also get doubled, bringing more economic prosperity in the entire region," Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said.

The Centre is working on doubling ship-breaking capacity at Alang yard in Gujarat, which would eventually double the employment opportunities, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on September 12.

Ship-breaking units at Alang in Bhavnagar district produce 3.5 million tonnes of steel by recycling nearly 200 ships each year, said Mr. Sonowal in his inaugural address at the international conference on 'Green Ship Recycling and Vehicle Scrapping' at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar.

"The industry provides employment to 15,000 persons directly and to 1.5 lakh persons indirectly," the Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister said.

"With the proposed expansion plan of doubling the capacity of yards, the employment opportunity will also get doubled, bringing more economic prosperity in the entire region," the Minister added.

On the occasion, Mr. Sonowal said all the stakeholders need to follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision on green ship recycling and vehicle scrapping very sincerely and effectively to protect the environment, ecology and biodiversity.

For the vehicle scrappage policy announced by the Prime Minister last year, Mr. Sonowal said his Ministry is doing a study to devise a strategy to promote the policy via coastal shipping.