CONCERNS have been voiced over the recycling of a so-called US "ghost fleet" in the North-East.

Able UK is due to finalise a deal with the US Maritime Administration within days which would see 13 obsolete warships towed across the Atlantic to Hartlepool for dismantling in the Graythorpe yard.

The Billingham-based company hopes the contract will create 200 jobs but concerns over the possible environmental threat - already voiced by Greenpeace - were made at an executive meeting of Middlesbrough Borough Council.

Councillor John McPartland said: "The economic benefits of this deal for the area are indisputable. If the ships get here safely then fine, but many people could be dangerously affected if they do not."

His worries were echoed by Councillor Kevin Morby, who said: "We have the hurricane season coming up and these ships' hulls may be very thin. It scares me - the Americans can put a probe on Mars but they can't break up a ship."

Peter Stephenson, managing director of Able UK, said: "These empty ships pose less risk than vessels which are carrying any cargoes. Our own people have been out to America and measured the thickness of the hulls, which are thicker than a lot of new ships

"America does want the work. In fact, there is a delegation in America which is trying to stop the ships being brought over here.

"The reason they are being brought to us is because our facilities are second to none and we can provide the safest way of recycling the them."

The US Navy ghost fleet - made up of decommissioned warships, tankers, bulk carriers and tank transporters - would be towed across the Atlantic through the Pentland Firth, between the mainland and Orkney and down Scotland's east coast.