The bay near the city of Nouadhibou in Mauritania in Africa is known as an area full of abandoned ships.
It is even known as the “cemetery of ships”. So why do they leave the ships specifically in this region? What makes this place special?
Ships have been abandoned here since the 1980s.
Many ships are abandoned in Nouadhibou because they are no longer used or are beyond repair. Since the Mauritanian government did not impose any sanctions on ship owners, this place turned into a huge ship graveyard over time.
Some of the ships are dumped here for economic reasons, while others are dumped here due to Mauritania’s limited recycling capacity and infrastructure deficiencies. This area hosts various commercial ships, fishing boats, tankers and cargo ships; It also poses a threat to the environment because rusting ships pollute the sea over time.
If we take a closer look at the reasons why the ships were specifically dumped there…
For years, port authorities in the country have allowed low-income fishermen and cargo ship owners to drop off their old ships at the port of Nouadhibou for a fee. Thus, ship owners avoided the more costly recycling or dismantling process.
In addition, the lack of control in the gulf paved the way for this ship graveyard to grow, there was no government pressure. Since dismantling ships normally costs millions of dollars, it was also beneficial for the ship owners.
Although the Gulf causes environmental problems by polluting nature, it is a place that attracts the attention of tourists.
Although tourists and photographers come to the region to see the interesting landscape of abandoned ships, this interest does not help solve the ecological problems of the region.
In recent years, the Mauritanian government has started to evaluate ship removal projects in the region by collaborating with international organizations, but it has not yet been implemented due to cost and other difficulties.
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