Ghost ships hypocrisy to be exposed

2:23pm Thursday 27th April 2006

Comments (0)   Have your say »

BRITAIN'S double standards when it comes to the dismantling of so-called ghost ships is to be revealed on television tonight.

A BBC Inside Out investigation will claim that the Sir Geraint, one of the UK's old war vessels, was sold overseas at the end of its life by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and ultimately ended up being dismantled on a beach in Pakistan.

Viewers will see Pakistani workers involved in Sir G's breakdown telling the programme how they know very little about asbestos or even even to recognise it.

They go on to reveal that a number of workers have been killed and injured in the process due to a lack of safety procedures.

The revelations will fly in the face of Britain's tough regulations for the dismantling of old ships on British soil.

The stiff regulations have for two years delayed plans by Able UK to dismantle former US navy ships in Hartlepool, after concerns were raised that the work could be environmentally hazardous for the region.

But the Inside Out documentary reveals how the MoD sold the 38-year-old Sir G as a trading vessel to Babcock's shipping brokers, with the stipulation that if and when the ship was scrapped, it should be done "with best practice".

Babcock sold the ship to Regency Projects Limited in the belief it would be a trading vessel, but the decision was then taken to scrap it.

Babcock made specific provision in the sale contract that if the vessel was eventually disposed of for recycling, it should be in accordance with the Basel Convention.

And throughout the sale process, Babcock worked closely with the MoD and complied fully with Government regulations.

But, as a result of what happened to the Sir G, the MoD is now planning to tighten up its own policies and said it was working with other Government departments to develop a UK ship recycling strategy.

An MoD spokesman said: "It is hoped that future sales contracts will include stronger clauses regarding the conditions for dismantling once a vessel reaches the end of its life."

Peter Stephenson, the man behind the scheme to dismantle ghost ships in Hartlepool, said: "It's so frustrating, because they're doing it so wrong over there.

"It could all be done right here, and it's good business for the area, we need the jobs and it's good for the local economy."

The Inside Out investigation will be screened tonight on BBC1, starting at 7.30pm.