The federal government announced plans to remove the remaining 52 ships that are currently moored in the Suisun Bay (California) Reserve Fleet. The decision is part of an agreement with environmental groups that was filed in federal court in Sacramento, Calif.
The Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has begun removing obsolete ships from Suisun Bay for recycling, including four ships that have been removed since November 2009 and a fifth that was removed at the end of last month.
The agreement outlines MARAD’s commitment to remove 20 of the ships that are in the poorest condition prior to Sept. 30, 2012. Before their removal, these ships will be sent to a local dry-dock for cleaning that involves removing marine growth from the underwater hull and removing flaking paint from areas above the water. All other ships at the site will be cleaned of flaking paint within two years and removed from the fleet by Sept. 30, 2017.
Additionally, MARAD will clean the horizontal surfaces of the ships every 90 days, inspect the ships on a monthly and quarterly basis and collect water runoff samples for testing. No new ships with excess flaking will be admitted to the site.
“The Department of Justice is proud that it was able to help facilitate a resolution of this matter that is a win for the environment and a win for state and federal cooperation,” says Ignacia Moreno, assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “All the parties are to be commended for developing a workable program for the management of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet.”
Reserve ships will continue to be maintained at MARAD’s two other fleet storage sites in James River, Va. and Beaumont, Texas.