Press Releases - ABLE

COUNCIL ‘TOTALLY WRONG AGAIN’ SAYS COMPANY
15/11/03

Suggestions that the American merchant ships being recycled by Able UK will be left to ‘flounder and wallow in heavy seas off the North East Coast’ have been dismissed by the company’s Managing Director as ridiculous and ‘just another example of headline-grabbing scaremongering.’

In a news release issued by Durham County Council, the authority’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Bob Pendlebury, suggests that, if the ships had to ride out bad weather before being moved into Able’s TERRC facility at Graythorp, they could ‘pose a serious environmental threat to the North East coastline.’

Said Able UK Managing Director Stephenson “This is not the first time that Durham County has made exaggerated and unjustifiable claims—and it is not the first time that they have been totally wrong.

“The facts are that these vessels are being moved by an international-renowned towing company with highly experienced crews who will plan the speed and arrival time in order to ensure that they arrive at the correct state of tide to gain immediate access to our facility.

“The use of language such as ‘flounder and wallow’ is totally misleading. These vessels, like all ships, have the ability to ride out rough seas and stormy weather. The only difference between these and most of the other vessels which operate in and out of the Tees every day of the year is that they will not have a cargo of liquids or materials which could pose pollution problems.

“These vessels are sound, have been fully surveyed and are in a seaworthy condition. There is virtually no risk of coastal pollution from these ships—certainly much less than the risk from other shipping traffic in North Sea.

“It really is a pity that Councillor Pendlebury and Durham County Council do not discuss matters with bodies such as the Tees Port Authority and ourselves before making such ridiculous statements.”

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