An Ecuadorian shipbuilding worker repairs the shell of a traditional wooden fishing vessel in an artisanal shipyard on the beach in Manta, Ecuador, 9 September 2012. The construction process takes 3-4 months to complete, depending on the ship size and purpose (fish capture methods). Although a wooden boat tends to be more stable on the sea and less expensive to build (up to $0.5 million USD), it needs a maintenance every 2 years, while a fiberglass-made boat, costing almost double the wooden...
more »

An Ecuadorian shipbuilding worker repairs the shell of a traditional wooden fishing vessel in an artisanal shipyard on the beach in Manta, Ecuador, 9 September 2012. The construction process takes 3-4 months to complete, depending on the ship size and purpose (fish capture methods). Although a wooden boat tends to be more stable on the sea and less expensive to build (up to $0.5 million USD), it needs a maintenance every 2 years, while a fiberglass-made boat, costing almost double the wooden one, may serve 5-6 years without any repairs. The shipyard produces 6-8 vessels every year.
« less