Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Government Explores Expanded Use of Steel From Ship Recycling
The government wants more industries to use steel made from old ships.
Ministers H. D. Kumaraswamy and Sarbananda Sonowal led a meeting about this plan.
Government departments and industry groups discussed the rules for using this recycled steel.
Recycling ships can provide materials for steelmaking in India.
It can also use less energy and create fewer greenhouse-gas emissions than making new steel.
The industry supports jobs and other businesses such as transport and waste management.
Safe recycling can also help prevent pollution from old ships.
Most of India’s ship recycling happens at the Alang-Sosiya cluster in Gujarat.
A joint ministerial meeting examined expanding the use of steel recovered from recycled ships.
The initiative aims to increase value generation and strengthen India’s position as a leading ship-recycling hub.
Officials and industry stakeholders reviewed regulations governing secondary steel from ship recycling.
Ship recycling can increase domestic ferrous scrap supplies while reducing energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions.
The Alang-Sosiya cluster in Gujarat accounts for about 97 percent of India’s ship-recycling activity.
- Who
- Steel and Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, and other government and industry stakeholders.
- What
- A joint meeting examined expanding the use of secondary steel obtained from ship recycling.
- When
- Wednesday.
- Where
- The meeting’s location was not specified; the discussion concerned India’s ship-recycling sector, particularly the Alang-Sosiya cluster in Gujarat.
- Why
- To increase value generation from ship recycling, support domestic steel manufacturing, promote circular-economy practices, and strengthen India’s ship-recycling position.
- Meeting focus
- Expanding applications for steel recovered from recycled ships
- Chairpersons
- H. D. Kumaraswamy and Sarbananda Sonowal
- Stakeholders
- The Department of Science and Technology, Bureau of Indian Standards, Gujarat Maritime Board, and Ship Recycling Industries Association
- Main cluster
- Alang-Sosiya ship recycling cluster in Gujarat
- National share
- Approximately 97 percent of India’s ship recycling activity
- Resource benefit
- Greater domestic availability of ferrous scrap and reduced dependence on imported raw materials
- Environmental benefit
- Lower energy use and greenhouse-gas emissions compared with primary steel production