Press Releases - ABLE

’NO CHANGES’ IN SHIPS CONTRACT, STRESSES ABLE
19/08/04

The Chief Executive of Able UK has today (August 19th) described as ‘quite misleading’ suggestions that there is an agreement to bring as many as 36 additional redundant American vessels to the company’s facility at Graythorp.

Mr Peter Stephenson stressed that Able’s contract with the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) remained for the recycling of 13 vessels—four already berthed at its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) and nine more to be selected from a list of 36 drawn up by MARAD.

Said Mr Stephenson “I can understand that the decision by MARAD to seek clearance for the 36 vessels may cause some confusion, but the reality is that nothing has changed as far as our contract is concerned beyond the fact that we will be receiving nine different vessels from the nine originally earmarked to come here.

“This is because MARAD has decided, in view of the delays in beginning work at TERRC, to make alternative arrangements in relation to the majority of the nine vessels originally selected to complete our contract. They have now submitted a list of 36 vessels to the United States Environmental Protection Agency but the MARAD document makes clear—and I quote—‘the nine vessels to be recycled at TERRC will be selected from the attached list of thirty six vessels …these will be selected upon a joint agreement between Able UK and MARAD.’

“Those are the facts of the matter and it is quite misleading to seek to suggest that anything has changed in relation to our contract with MARAD beyond the arrangement for substitute vessels to complete the thirteen.

“Obviously, we hope that once we have been able to complete this contract—and demonstrate the fact that we have the best facilities in the world for undertaking this kind of work—that we will be able to gain further contracts for ship recycling, not just from the United States but also from the UK and the rest of Europe.

“The facts are that both the UK Government and responsible environmental organisations now recognise the importance of this country having state-of-the-art facilities to undertake ship recycling under the best possible environmental conditions. That is what we have developed at TERRC and we hope that, once we have been able to obtain the new planning permissions and waste management licence, we will be in a position to begin work on the four vessels currently berthed at TERRC early next year.”

<< back