I lived near Alang (India) and visited the shipbreaking operations a lot. For me as a kid, the best part was these ships had olives (in brine) and we could only get them from Alang.
Happy to answer any questions you guys might have.
Happy to answer any questions you guys might have.
- olives in brine? Like leftover food supplies and somehow that was a staple?
- What was the visit like? Stand on a platform and watch? Guided tour? Freedom to run amok & don't get in the way/yourself killed?
- What were the local opinions on the industry?
- Yeah olives in brine in a sealed food tin. We did not eat a lot of fish back then but there were food tins of all sorts on those ships. I personally only picked olives.
- A visit could be arranged if you knew anyone who managed the shipbreaking. If the ship is not broken yet, they show you how to climb the ship (mostly vertical steel ladders). If the breaking has started, they don't allow you to climb the ship but then you can roam around the site and inspect all the goods removed from the ship and buy it at whatever price u feel.
- Local population was not that educated. People did not take the businesses as badly as we treat them online. They feel it's a normal industry like anything else and gives employment so they are mostly fine with it. If some worker loses their life (a few do every year) the families are compensated to the tune of $1000 to $2000 and life goes on. (sad I know)
Same as many jobs in the last century in the west: coal mining, steel mills and other large industrial operations, much heavy construction. Not that it was OK or should be acceptable but it does seem to be the way these things go.