Editing Ship (section)

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{{Main|Ship disposal}}
[[File:Jafrabad Chittagong shipbreaking (8).JPG|thumb|Workers drag steel plate ashore from beached ships in [[Chittagong]], Bangladesh]]

Most ocean-going cargo ships have a life expectancy of between 20 and 30&nbsp;years. A sailboat made of plywood or fiberglass can last between 30 and 40&nbsp;years. Solid wooden ships can last much longer but require regular maintenance. Carefully maintained steel-hulled yachts can have a lifespan of over 100&nbsp;years.

As ships age, forces such as corrosion, osmosis, and rotting compromise hull strength, and a vessel becomes too dangerous to sail. At this point, it can be [[scuttling|scuttled]] at sea or [[Ship breaking|scrapped]] by [[ship breaking|shipbreakers]]. Ships can also be used as [[museum ships]], or expended to construct [[Breakwater (structure)|breakwaters]] or [[artificial reef]]s.

Many ships do not make it to the scrapyard, and are lost in fires, collisions, [[ship grounding|grounding]], or sinking at sea. The Allies lost some 5,150 ships during [[World War II]].<ref name="Albion" />