Cruise ships are being dismantled and sold as scrap metal due to the coronavirus pandemic all but destroying the global cruise industry.
Key points: Cruise ships were home to some of the earliest clusters of coronavirus
Cruise ships were home to some of the earliest clusters of coronavirus The industry has suffered a downturn due to the pandemic
The industry has suffered a downturn due to the pandemic Vessels from Britain, Italy and the United States have arrived for dismantling
Earlier this month, aerial footage shot by drones showed workers stripping walls, windows, floors and railings from several vessels docked in Aliaga, a town 45 kilometres north of Izmir on Turkey's west coast.
Three more ships are set to join five already being dismantled.
Chairman of a ship recycling industrialists' association, Kamil Onal, said before the pandemic Turkey's ship-breaking yards typically handled cargo and container ships.
"But after the pandemic, cruise ships changed course towards Aliaga in a very significant way," he said.
"There was growth in the sector due to the crisis. When the ships couldn't find work, they turned to dismantling."
The vessels have arrived for dismantling from Britain, Italy and the United States.
As many as 2,500 people work at the facility to dismantle ships. ( Reuters: Umit Bektas )
Cruise ships were home to the some of the earliest clusters of COVID-19 as the pandemic spread globally early this year.
In February, the Australian Government had to evacuate more than 150 Australians stuck onboard the Diamond Princess off Japan.
Weeks later, it ordered foreign-flagged cruise ships out of Australian waters — a ban recently extended until at least December 17.
The now-infamous Ruby Princess was allowed to dock in Sydney, though, with a special commission of inquiry finding the ship was linked to at least 28 deaths.
In March, US authorities issued a no-sail order for all cruise ships. It remains in place.
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Mr Onal said some 2,500 people worked at the yard in teams.
He said it took about six months to dismantle a full passenger ship.
The shipyard aimed to increase the volume of reclaimed steel to 1.1 million tonnes by the end of the year, from 700,000 tonnes in January, he said.
otisthetowndrunk on October 11st, 2020 at 15:01 UTC »
I found about 20 cruise ships anchored in the Bahamas. Cruise lines in the Caribbean have private islands to take their passengers, and they're currently keeping their ships there.
rocknroll2013 on October 11st, 2020 at 14:18 UTC »
Good, maybe when the industry picks up again, they can design engines that aren't some of the worst pollution machines on the water
IsolatedDrumTracks on October 11st, 2020 at 13:46 UTC »
Looking at those photos, all of those ships look old/crappified. Airlines are also retiring jets at an increasing rate, the old/crappy ones.