British Company Announces Deal for Ship Scrapping

Able UK has announced it landed a major disposal contract which will underline its position as one of the world’s leading marine decommissioning facilities.

The contract is with the U.S. Government’s Maritime Administration. The contract will involve the scrapping of of 13 merchant vessels from the US National Defense Reserve Fleet—a large collection of ships which are available for recommissioning in the event of a national emergency.

The vessels will be towed from the James River in Virginia, where they are currently berthed, to Able UK’s Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre at Hartlepool where they will be dismantled in ‘dry dock’ conditions.

 “I believe that the decision by MARAD to award the contract to our company will also be welcomed by responsible environmental organizations who recognize that land-based recycling, in specialized facilities and under strict conditions, is by far the best available option for the disposal of redundant marine structures,” said .Peter Stephenson, Able’s managing director.

MARAD is responsible for a large number of ‘mothballed’ merchant vessels known as the National Defense Reserve Fleet. It is envisaged that these vessels could be recommissioned in the event of a national emergency.

TERRC was developed eight years ago by the Able Group of companies which has been involved in decommissioning and waste removal for over 30 years, specializing since 1985 in the handling of redundant offshore structures, including waste removal and disposal.

Before the vessels will be able to leave Virginia they will be inspected by the US Coastguard Marine Inspection Department and the Coastguard will sign documents stating that the vessels are in a seaworthy condition for the tow. The tugs used in the operation will also have to be approved by the US Coastguard.

The cost of the ship scrapping is $14.8 million.