Gadani Ship Breaking Yard Resumes Operation After 8-Year Hiatus

Ship recycling operations have officially resumed at the Gadani Ship Breaking Yard after an eight-year hiatus, with seven vessels arriving for dismantling in a move expected to boost Pakistan’s maritime and industrial sectors.

According to an official statement, the revival was made possible through the joint efforts of the National Logistics Corporation (NLC), a member of the Maritime Task Force, and other government agencies. Ship recycling activity at Gadani had remained largely dormant for the past eight years.

The government is implementing reforms to align Pakistan’s ship recycling industry with international standards and has granted the sector formal industrial status to encourage investment and long-term growth.

Authorities are also upgrading facilities to comply with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards and the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.

Officials said nine of Gadani’s 16 ship recycling yards have already been upgraded under the Hong Kong Convention, while the remaining seven are undergoing inspection and approval. The government also plans to establish a modern Treatment, Storage and Disposal facility to safely manage hazardous waste generated during ship recycling.

According to officials, each recycled vessel is expected to contribute about $25 million to the national economy. Once operating at full capacity, the Gadani ship recycling industry is projected to meet nearly 30 percent of Pakistan’s steel scrap demand, reduce dependence on imports, and create thousands of jobs.

Gadani Ship Breaking Yard is one of the world’s largest ship recycling facilities and once the largest of its kind globally during the 1980s. The yard is located about 50 kilometers northwest of Karachi, spans a 10 kilometer coastline and consists of 132 ship breaking plots.