Press Releases - ABLE

ABLE WELCOMES LAUNCH OF SHIP RECYCLING INITIATIVE
23/03/04

The launch today (March 23rd) of a campaign to ensure that all redundant EU shipping is dismantled by specialist European yards has been welcomed by the Managing Director of Able UK as ‘a genuine example of a sensible ‘green’ approach to what is a major worldwide environmental issue’

Mr Peter Stephenson was speaking as Greenpeace, the Hartlepool MP Peter Mandelson and the GMB union announced the joint initiative ‘START Ship Recycling’ at a news conference in London.

Able’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Graythorp is recognised as one of the best in the world which led to it being chosen by the US Maritime Administration MARAD and approved by the US Environment Protection Agency to carry out the recycling of redundant vessels from the American National Reserve Fleet.

Today Mr Stephenson said that the new initiative contrasted sharply with what he described as ‘the blatant scaremongering we have seen from some organisations and individuals who have opposed our contract with MARAD, claiming to be protecting the environment but in reality more interested in jumping on the publicity bandwagon.’

He explained “I believe that today’s launch demonstrates that there is growing realisation that we need a genuine green approach to the issue of ship recycling rather than antics, led by Friends of Earth, which have generated so much disinformation and unnecessary alarm.

“The attitude of Greenpeace could not be more different than Friends of Earth. They have a long track record of campaigning for the need to develop high-quality facilities which can bring an end to the kind of horrors which occur when vessels are literally torn apart on the beaches of developing countries.

“I applaud this initiative and I am also pleased that our local MP Peter Mandelson, who has made strenuous efforts to challenge the tactics of Friends of the Earth and their allies, is lending his weight to the call for Britain to take a lead within Europe.

“We have constantly pointed out that, with the huge demand for ship recycling and the fact that we have a world-class facility here at Graythorp, there is a tremendous opportunity to attract investment and jobs to our area. I hope that today’s launch will mark a major step forward in helping us to grasp that opportunity again.”

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