Press Releases - ABLE

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR WORLD-CLASS RECYCLING CENTRE

26th June 2008

The final stage in the long-running project to develop Able UK's TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Seaton Port, Graythorp, has now been completed with the announcement from the Environment Agency that it has issued the company’s Waste Management Licence.

Mr Peter Stephenson, Chairman of Able UK, was delighted with the announcement which means that the company is in a position to start work in the near future on a number of vessels already berthed at TERRC—and attract more investment and job opportunities in the future.

Today he commented, “This commonsense decision marks the culmination of almost five years of hard - and at times frustrating - effort. I’m thankful, because it means that we can at last start work – creating jobs and expanding the local skills base in the process.”

Among the vessels that will now be dismantled are four ships from the American National Defence Reserve Fleet and three UK ships at the facility, which is now set to be a world-leader in ship reclamation alongside a wide range of marine-related and renewable energy projects.

The decision vindicates the company’s decision to press ahead with £30 million worth of investment at TERRC including a new 312 metre long deep water quay and cofferdam which will be completed this year allowing the very large dry dock to become operational again.

“While we are pleased that we can finally get started on dismantling these vessels, we have always emphasised that reclamation work is just a fraction of the work TERRC will provide” said Mr Stephenson.

With the largest dry dock in the world, TERRC offers the prospect of Teesside becoming a major centre for construction and ship recycling—meeting both the UK Government and European demands for facilities able to handle the large number of redundant vessels, which will require disposal in the years ahead.

At the same time the facility will be able to handle a wide range of other marine related activities, including construction and repair work and Able UK is also working on attracting business in the renewable energy market, especially wind turbine construction.

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