MARAD Inks Contracts for More Ship Dismantling

The U.S. Maritime Administration has announced that it has signed ship disposal contracts for the last four "high-priority" ships currently available for disposal from the government's James River Reserve fleet in Virginia.

The signing of the contracts fulfills the promise to move the ten worst ships from the fleet out to scrap yards for dismantling.

 “Just three months ago, there were ten ships that had to go as soon as possible.  With these contracts today, all ten are now scheduled for disposal,” said William Schubert, U.S. Maritime Administrator.

The four ships included in today's announcement are going to facilities in Brownsville, TX.  All Star Metals was awarded three contracts, valued at over $2.4 million, to dismantle the Donner, the Protector and the General Nelson M. Walker. Marine Metals was awarded a contract valued at approximately $1.1 million to dismantle the General William O. Darby. 

Disposal contracts have been awarded on 11 ships this summer, including the Protector in Portsmouth; two ships have left the James River, and additional departures are scheduled for this year. With today’s announcement, 41 ship disposal contracts have been awarded and 25 ships have left the James River Reserve Fleet since the beginning of 2001.

Schubert added, “With these high priority ships all under contract, we can now turn our attention to the rest of the ships in the fleet in need of disposal.”

MARAD administers the National Defense Reserve Fleet, which holds ships designated as being useful for defense.  When the ships deteriorate, they are made available for disposal. There are approximately 110 non-retention vessels located in the three fleet sites of the National Defense Reserve Fleet; 60 of them are located in the James River Reserve Fleet in Newport News, VA.