Press Releases - ABLE

AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEGINS JOURNEY

3rd February 2009

The vessel Q790—formerly the aircraft carrier Clemenceau—will today leave Brest Harbour in France en route to the Able UK TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port on the River Tees.

The dismantling of the vessel will be the largest ship recycling project ever undertaken in Europe and today Able UK’s Chairman and Chief Executive, Peter Stephenson, said it underlined the fact that the company continues to be a world leader in undertaking marine recycling to the very highest standards.

He also praised the French Government for their decision to ensure that the vessel would be dismantled under safe and environmentally friendly conditions and the fact that it is universally acknowledged that the Able UK method provides the BPEO (Best Practicable Environmental Option).

The transfer of the Q790 to TERRC is expected to take around four days. At TERRC it will join the other 3 UK and 4 US vessels which are also being recycled.

Launched in 1957, the Clemenceau was the mainstay of the French naval fleet and sailed over a million nautical miles before being withdrawn from active service. The vessel is 255 metres long with a deck width of 51.2 metres and is up to 65 metres high. The gross tonnage is 32,780 tonnes.

Explained Mr Stephenson “Although preparations for the transfer have been in place for some time, we have had to wait for the right ‘window’ in the weather to undertake the tow from Brest. This is a very important day for both ourselves, our French partners and the ship recycling industry because it underlines the growing recognition of the need for high-quality facilities to meet the increasing demand for responsible ship recycling.

“Recycling the Q790 will be the largest project so far handled by any European yard but, with the biggest dry dock in the world, we have the capacity to undertake the recycling of the vessel alongside the others already at TERRC. Once the vessel has been delivered we will complete the cofferdam which will allow us to drain the dock and undertake the recycling work in the controlled dry dock conditions.

“The dismantling work on the Q790 and other vessels will begin after Easter and provide in the region of 200 jobs.

“Over the past year we have undertaken a significant development programme at TERRC—including the construction of a new 306m deep water quay. We are confident that, having received the Q790, there are tremendous opportunities to attract further work to TERRC—not just in ship and marine recycling but other developing sectors in the environmental field, such as wind and wave power technology.

“At a time when there are so many economic problems facing the world — and especially a region such as the North East of England —I think it is crucially important that we are in a position to be at the forefront of an industry which has enormous potential for growth and job creation in the years ahead.”

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