Dismantling Ban Applies to Second Two MARAD Vessels

The U.K. Environment Agency has reiterated the conditions imposed last week on the storage of U.S. naval vessels by Able UK at Hartlepool on Teesside. Modifications made by the Agency to the conditions of the waste management licence held by Able UK apply to all waste ships, from whatever source. The conditions cover the US vessels Canopus and Compass Island, which it has now been decided will also be stored on Teesside alongside the vessels Caloosahatchee and Canisteo which docked earlier in the week. The license modifications mean that no dismantling, cutting or breaking of ships in any way or form is permitted. The Environment Agency has powers to enforce these conditions. As did the two vessels Caloosahatchee and Canisteo, the second pair of US vessels will dock at Able UK at Hartlepool under supervision of the harbour authority PD Teesport. Assessments will be made by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to ascertain the integrity of the vessels' structures and safety systems following their passage from the US to ensure, in conjunction with Environment Agency assessments, that the vessels pose no risk to the environment. As a precaution, the Environment Agency has required floating containment booms to be put in place, and is conducting a regular regime of daily and weekly inspections to ensure their integrity. A baseline survey of the estuary waters was completed by the Environment Agency prior to arrival of the first two vessels, and the Agency is conducting a weekly programme of monitoring, to specified standards, of both dock and estuary waters.