The Economics of Shipbreaking
The Second-Hand Markets of Alang
How shops along the Alang-Bhavnagar road sell everything from ships, furniture, generators, lifeboats and crockery, creating a unique second-hand economy.
Everything from a ship gets sold.
The market
Shops along the Alang-Bhavnagar highway sell goods salvaged from ships.
Items
- Furniture, beds and sofas.
- Generators, pumps and engines.
- Lifeboats and life jackets.
- Crockery, lamps and fittings.
Buyers
Hotels, factories, fishing boat owners and households buy at low prices.
Reuse
Selling parts reuses them, a circular economy.
Tourism
Some visitors come to browse for unusual items.
The lifeboat
A fisherman buys a salvaged lifeboat from Alang and converts it for fishing.
Thinking only steel is recovered
Almost everything is resold.
Key takeaways
- Alang has a big second-hand market.
- Furniture, engines and lifeboats are sold.
- Buyers include hotels and fishermen.
- Reuse creates a circular economy.
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