The News reported that since the revival of work in Gaddani shipyard in Balochistan, the ship breaking industry has been meeting 70% iron and steel requirements of the country.

An Engineering Development Board report said that with the increase in activity at the Gaddani shipyard, the number of people employed there has risen to 12,000. The ship breaking activity at Gaddani has broken last 12 years record with more than 50 big ships being hammered currently.

It said that 95% of the old scrap is recycled and reused. The shipyard meets country’s demand for steel, steel products and non-ferrous products and machinery.

Pakistan Steel Mills has not been working on its full capacity and cannot fulfill the country’s requirements, so iron and steel obtained from ship breaking helps meet the demand. Most of the re rolling and re melting mills have once again become dependant on the Gaddani ship breakers.

Even wash basins, toilets, wooden doors and other such things in old ships are reused. Ship prices in the international market are high but the increasing demand at home for steel and steel products has led to purchase of more and more worn out ships for dismantling.

(Sourced from www.thenews.com.pk)