where ships go to die Edward Burtynsky

End of the line: With one of the world's longest beaches, Chittagong is Bangladesh's biggest port. Half of the world's supertankers are disassembled here. When the tide is high, vessels are driven at full speed toward the shore. Once the water recedes and the ships rest along the muddy beach, the salvage crews move in, emptying the vessels of everything on board. Conditions in the shipyards are dangerous. Many workers are barefoot and without gloves, carefully avoiding razor-sharp metal, hot steel, and pollutants. For all its hazards, the shipbreaking industry employs, directly or indirectly, an estimated 200,000 Bangladeshis.
From the photo essay "End of the line"
More shipbreaking images here.
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