Inside the world’s largest ship cemetery, where 300 abandoned ships lie rotting, releasing toxic waste into the sea
The world’s largest ship graveyard lies on the coast of Mauritania, where 300 ships remain rotting, releasing toxic waste into the sea.
The rusting hulks are scattered along the coast of Nouadhibou Bay after being illegally abandoned by their owners.
6
6
6
6
The view of the Atlantic Ocean from MauritaniaThe coast is marred by wrecked ships sent here from all over the world on their last voyage.
In the poverty-stricken country, it is cheaper for seafarers to let their unwanted ships sink than to dismantle them.
Dismantling a ship can leave a dent in the pocket, and savvy owners discovered that they can dispose of their boats for a small fee instead.
Although Nouadhibou is Mauritania’s second largest city and a commercial hotspot, unemployment in the area is high.
This has allowed corruption to run rampant, with corrupt local politicians turning a blind eye to illegal coastal pollution when offered modest compensation.
The practice was especially popular in the 1980s, when the fishing industry came under government control.
Since then, the ships have been dumped in the desert land and slowly decayed – seeping toxic oils, paint and rust into the water.
The necropolis has collected a range of boats over the years, from fishing trawlers, cargo ships to naval cruisers.
But one of the most popular wreckage in the cemetery is the refrigerated ship United Malike.
The 100-metre-long ship was built in 1979 but lost track in 2003 when it was abandoned by its Moroccan owners.
The ship carrying a cargo of fish ran aground near the coast of Nouadhibou and the 17 crew members had to be rescued by the Mauritanian Navy.
There are a few unexpected benefits that the rotting ships have brought, despite the environmental risks caused by hazardous paint flowing into the bay.
The rotting hulls of the wrecks have given new life to fish and other marine life housesgiving the city’s crucial fishing sector a much-needed boost.
This is in addition to the ongoing recovery company that has turned up around the wrecks.
Of money Thanks to the 300 stranded ships, there is little incentive to stop the illegal dumping of ships, giving the cemetery the title of the world’s largest.
6
6