Ghost Ships
Joy as ghost ships contract scrapped
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| "For local people, the continued prescence of the four ghost ships is cause for uncertainty and concern pending the appeal outcome" - MEP Fiona Hall |
CAMPAIGNERS have welcomed the
news that nine of the fleet of US
ghost ships will not be recycled at a
North-East shipyard.
Able UK won a controversial contract
to dismantle up to 13 vessels at
its Hartlepool shipyard.
But delays caused by environmental
concerns prevented the others
leaving the James River, in Virginia,
in the US, for the Graythorp facility,
and terms of the contract with the
US Government have been re-negotiated.
It means that nine US Reserve
Fleet ships originally destined for the
UK will no longer be broken up on
Teesside.
The company said it wanted to dismantle
and recycle the four ships
moored on the River Tees - the
Caloosahatchee, Canisteo, Compass
Island and Canopus, which arrived in
Hartlepool, in November 2003.
Able is awaiting the outcome of an
appeal against Hartlepool Borough
Council's refusal of planning permission
to upgrade the shipyard to
allow it to decommission all the ships
at the Graythorp yard.
The appeal is due to be considered
in September and is expected to take
about five weeks.
Neil Marley, of West View, Hartlepool,
who lives close to the shipyard,
said: "It's good news that the other
nine ships are not coming, but I
would like to see the four that are already
here sent back.
"The problem is, if they are given
permission to break up these four, it
sets a precedent that could open the
floodgates for hundreds of ships to be
sent to be scrapped here from all
round the world. The best solution
would be to set up an international
fund to enable countries to break up
their own ships - employing their
own workers under safe conditions."
Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat MEP
for the North-East, said: "It is good
news that further ships will not be arriving
in Hartlepool, but for local
people, the continued presence of the
four ghost ships is cause for uncertainty
and concern pending the appeal
outcome."
Peter Stephenson, chairman of
Able UK, said: "We are pleased that
we have been able to agree with the
United States Department of Transportation
Maritime Administration
that our contract for the recycling of
the four vessels continues.
"It is disappointing that, after all
the efforts of so many people, the opportunity
to bring the additional
work, which would have been generated
through the recycling of the
other nine vessels, has been lost due
to the delay."
Mr Stephenson said Able UK had
been dealt another blow and had lost
the opportunity to recycle a redundant
British Navy vessel, HMS Intrepid,
because of the delays in winning
planning permission.
He said the four-year stand-off and
subsequent loss of the nine ships had
cost the company millions of pounds,
but it was determined to press ahead
with its vision of creating a world
class ship recycling centre at the
Graythorp site.
"The planning appeal is expected
to cost about £1.5m, which is going to
be a big burden on the taxpayers of
Hartlepool should the inspector find
in our favour," he said.
A spokesman for Hartlepool Borough
Council said: "There is an appeal
pending, and as such, it would
be inappropriate for the council to
comment at this stage."
10:49am Thursday 31st May 2007
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CommentPosted by: Graham Goss, Adelaide, Australia on 11:58pm Thu 31 May 07
As an ex-pat Hartlepudlian (residing about almost as far as possible from my hometown) I am heartened to learn that the relentless actions of a group of dedicated, concerned citizens has scored a goal for common sense. Let us now hope that these floating follies are returned to the nations that comissioned them, rather than to the wreckers yards of India or Bangladesh where objectors may not be so successful. If the imperislist, warmongering nations of the world are forced to dismantle their own toys when no longer regarded as useful, perhaps, just perhaps, they will think twice before wasting billions on replacements.
As an ex-pat Hartlepudlian (residing about almost as far as possible from my hometown) I am heartened to learn that the relentless actions of a group of dedicated, concerned citizens has scored a goal for common sense. Let us now hope that these floating follies are returned to the nations that comissioned them, rather than to the wreckers yards of India or Bangladesh where objectors may not be so successful. If the imperislist, warmongering nations of the world are forced to dismantle their own toys when no longer regarded as useful, perhaps, just perhaps, they will think twice before wasting billions on replacements.
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