Indian companies dismantled old vessels totalling 2.99 million gross tonnes in 2025. This is almost 60 per cent more than in 2024, when the figure stood at 1.86 million gross tonnes. This was reported by
News9, a partner of TV BRICS.
According to data from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the country accounted for 35.4 per cent of all ships sent for scrapping and recycling worldwide.
Statistics on ship recycling use the gross tonnage figure, which reflects a ship’s gross internal volume rather than its weight.
The recycling of old ships involves dismantling vessels and extracting materials that can be reused: steel, equipment, wiring and other components. However, this process poses serious risks to people and the environment. Old ships may contain oil, asbestos, chemicals and other hazardous materials, which is why strict safety regulations, skilled workers and proper waste disposal are essential.
India’s Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, stated that this success was the result of reforms, industry development, and compliance with international environmental and social standards.
The Indian government plans to expand the largest ship recycling facility in Alang, Gujarat, and almost double the facility’s total capacity.
According to industry estimates, around 16,000 ships are expected to reach the end of their service life over the next ten years. This means that Indian companies are set for a new period of growth, but at the same time there will be a greater focus on worker safety and environmental protection.
India’s leadership in this field has become one of the objectives of the country’s maritime strategy up to 2030 (Maritime India Vision 2030). Thanks to the results achieved in 2025, India has met its targets five years ahead of schedule.
Other BRICS and partner countries are also developing projects aimed at strengthening the circular economy, improving waste management and expanding the use of recycled materials.
For example, in Russia, as part of the national “Environmental Well-being” project, there are plans to gradually establish ten facilities for the treatment, recycling and disposal of construction waste by 2030, according to the
website of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources.
Among the initiatives is a plant in the Arkhangelsk Region, scheduled to come on stream in 2026, with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes of waste per year. Preparations are also underway for facilities in Bashkortostan, Saratov, Udmurtia and other regions to produce secondary raw materials, such as aggregates, industrial products and recycled materials. These projects aim to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfill and increase the reuse of materials.
In the city of Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, work is underway to modernise a household waste treatment plant. The facility will introduce automated sorting systems to recover plastic, paper, cardboard, metals and other materials suitable for recycling.
According to
Emirates News Agency (WAM), a partner of TV BRICS, the modernised plant will become fully operational in 2027 and will enable the recycling of around 60 per cent of the city’s waste, preventing it from ending up in landfill. The project forms part of Abu Dhabi’s strategy to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill by 80 per cent by 2031.
Among the BRICS partner countries, Thailand is promoting a programme for the recycling of end-of-life vehicles, aimed at improving the management of old vehicles and transitioning to a model based on the bioeconomy, the circular economy and the green economy. According to
Vietnam News Agency (VNA), a partner of TV BRICS, the authorities are assessing new vehicle dismantling technologies and the establishment of specialised plants for recycling materials such as steel and plastic.
Similarly, in Cuba, circular economy initiatives are being developed, focusing on the recycling of packaging and the use of industrial waste. According to
Prensa Latina, a TV BRICS partner, a large-scale project is underway in the province of Holguin to recycle bottles for the needs of national industry.
The project enables the collection and recycling of between 900,000 and 1 million bottles per month, which are sorted, compressed and transported to recycling plants for reintroduction into the production chain. The initiative has contributed to an increase in packaging recycling volumes within the beverage production sector, improvements to collection systems, and the creation of new opportunities for companies involved in waste management and collection.