Shipbreaking operations at Alang yard in Gujarat in western India has come to a complete halt with the government imposing a total ban on the use of oxygen for industrial purposes and with all volumes being diverted for medical use, a state government official said on Monday, April 26.
The official said that, with no oxygen available at the yard, it is not possible to use the liquid oxygen fuelled blow torches needed to cut through decommissioned vessels at the Alang yard.
He said that the demand for oxygen was estimated at 70-100 mt per day at Alang for the combined operations of breaking all vessels at the yard.
With operations closed completely, recyclers and companies that acquire vessels for scrapping have also stopped all acquisition, so that no new vessels have arrived at the yard immediately for scrapping, the official added.