What Is Ship Demolition, And How Does It Happen?

Ships, the majestic vessels of the sea, are the only viable and most effective form of transporting goods and people through waterways. While the ships are constructed using the best quality materials and with expert workmanship, the sea is a harsh mistress. Eventually, after a few decades, the ships are no longer fit to play on the sea route, and due to their huge size, they cannot be parked indefinitely. They need to be dismantled or disposed of in an eco-friendly way. As the ships are abundant in metals like iron and steel, their scrap is highly sought after. But in order to extract the maximum metal from the ship waste and that too without causing an environmental hazard, services of a professional ship recycling company are required. 

Ship Breaking in India

India has been bestowed with a vast shoreline which allows the country to act as a major sea transportation centre. There are many shipping yards in India to cater to this demand, but this also means a higher number of ships are to be dismantled every year in the country. This requires the expertise of professional ship breaking companies in India. If you are wondering about ship demolition and how does it happen, then read on to know more. 

Ship Demolition

Ship demolition is the official term used to describe the entire process of dismantling a ship and segregating the material recovered properly. It also covers the process of disposing of the waste generated in an eco-friendly manner. As the size and weight of ships are extremely huge, it requires special equipment and expertise to be completed. The task of ship demolition is only manageable by few countries, India is one of them, Ship demolition is carried out by several companies, making India a preferred destination for ship demolition. The entire task is usually carried out in a huge ground which is located near the seashore or the port. 

Ship demolition involves several steps: - 

• First of all, the ship to be dismantled is identified and then brought to the demolition yard.

• Here, the shipbreaking company and its professionals start their work. They will first haul the ship to a safe location.

• Then with the help of machinery, equipment, tools, and manual labour as well, the task of demolition is started.

• The entire task of ship demolition may last from anywhere between a few weeks to several months, depending on the size of the ship.

• While demolishing the ship, precautions are taken against potential hazards like radioactive materials, lead, mercury, asbestos, radiations, and several others. 

• After the demolition task is completed, the recovered metal, ropes, and materials are auctioned off. Material recovered from ship demolition are highly sought after in the secondary market for their amazing quality.

After the demolition task is completed, then any remaining materials are disposed-off in an eco-friendly manner, completing the task entirely.