Gadani Port, located near Gadani town in the Lasbela District of Balochistan, is best known not as a traditional commercial port, but as the site of the Gadani Shipbreaking Yard—one of the largest shipbreaking yards in the world. Situated approximately 50 kilometers west of Karachi, Gadani has strategic access to the Arabian Sea and plays a unique role in Pakistan’s maritime and industrial sectors.
The key activity at Gadani Port is ship dismantling. Decommissioned ships from around the world are brought here to be broken down for scrap metal and reusable materials. This process supports:
Steel and metal recycling industries
Employment for thousands of workers
Supply chains for raw materials like iron, aluminum, copper, and machinery
At its peak in the 1980s, Gadani was the world’s busiest shipbreaking yard, dismantling hundreds of ships annually. Though activity has fluctuated, it remains a vital part of Pakistan’s industrial economy.
Unlike container or cargo ports, Gadani’s infrastructure is tailored to shipbreaking. Key features include:
Open beach berths where ships are beached at high tide
Cutting zones for dismantling large vessels
Crane and hauling equipment
Steel processing and scrap yards
Road links to Karachi and industrial zones
There are currently over 100 shipbreaking plots spread along the coast, operated by private companies.
Gadani contributes significantly to:
Pakistan’s steel industry – up to 30–40% of the country’s scrap steel supply originates here
Local employment – thousands of workers, especially from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Government revenue – through customs duties, taxes, and licensing fees
Recycling and material reuse, reducing reliance on imported raw materials
Despite its importance, Gadani faces several critical challenges:
Worker safety issues – shipbreaking is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world
Lack of modern equipment and safety protocols
Environmental hazards, including oil spills, asbestos, and toxic waste
Global competition from more modern yards in countries like India and Bangladesh
Efforts have been made to modernize practices, implement labor laws, and improve environmental regulations, but challenges remain.
While the pace of shipbreaking at Gadani has slowed in recent years, there are initiatives underway to:
Improve occupational safety and health standards
Enforce environmental protections
Develop supporting industries (steel re-rolling, recycling, machinery salvage)
Possibly expand Gadani into a specialized industrial zone under broader economic development plans in Balochistan
