PRESS
RELEASES
26-Jun-09 - Able UK Ltd
ENSCO 72 JACK-UP RIG ARRIVES
Another significant structure has arrived at Able UK’s Able Seaton Port on the River Tees.
With a gross tonnage of 6,370 tons, the ENSCO 72 jack-up rig is now berthed at Quay 1.
The rig is an impressive structure - its three legs are over a hundred metres high and the triangular shaped platform is 76 metres long. Until last weekend the rig was working in the Wenlock field (95 kilometres to the North East off the North Norfolk coast) and the owners, ENSCO Offshore UK Ltd, will now undertake routine maintenance.
Peter Stephenson, Able UK’s Executive Chairman, was delighted with the new arrival, which was towed in by the locally based Switzer tugs under the control of the Tees Pilots.
“The decision by the owners to bring ENSCO 72 here serves to underline the burgeoning reputation of Able UK in the global market and is further evidence of the diversity and flexibility of Able Seaton.”
Although ENSCO 72 is a temporary visitor, significant longer term activity is of course taking place at Able Seaton Port and the Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre (TERRC). Dismantling work on the British, American and French ships—including the former aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau—will start later this summer. At the same time, and at the other end of the spectrum, the recycling of the BP North West Hutton Platform continues at the east end of the site. Early next month the third barge, carrying part of the former Oil Rigs legs – the Jacket – will arrive as part of a contract that to date is seeing the removal of the largest Platform from the North Sea.
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14-Jun-09 - Able UK Ltd
GIANT OIL RIG SECTION ARRIVES AT ABLE FACILITY
One of the largest ocean-going barges in the world has arrived at Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port, Graythorp, carrying huge sections of the North West Hutton oil platform which is being recycled at the yard.
The H627 barge, which is 179 metres long and almost 50 metres wide, is operated by Heerema Marine Contractors, and arrived at TERRC with a 4,000 ton payload, including the top section from the platform jacket.
The barge had been towed by the tug Carlo Magno from the North West Hutton installation north east of the Shetland Isle, with four local tugs operated by Switzer Marine joining the operation to manoeuvre it through the Seaton Channel and to the quayside at TERRC.
Explained Able UK’s Executive Chairman Peter Stephenson “This is the seventh of ten barges carrying sections of the platform to arrive at TERRC—and this part of the jacket is one of the biggest and most impressive structures. The topside sections were brought into the yard last year with the rest arriving this summer.
“Now we will making the arrangements to undertake lifting the jacket and other sections from the barge onto dry land later this month, using the huge 2,000 ton ‘Ringer’ crane operated by Mammoet. The North West Hutton platform is the biggest to be removed from the North Sea and it underlines our position as the world leader in the dismantling and recycling of marine structures.
“At the same times as handling the North West Hutton contract we are, of course, continuing with the process of creating the dry dock conditions which will allow us to begin dismantling the British, American and French ships—including the former aircraft carrier Le Clemenceau—currently berthed at TERRC. We expect that the dismantling work will begin this Summer.”
Installed in 1981 and sited 130 kilometres north east of the Shetland Islands, the North West Hutton installation had accommodation and facilities for more than 200 personnel and a production capacity of 130,000 barrels of oil a day.
The field ceased production in January 2003 and in 2006 BP announced that the offshore removal and transportation would be undertaken by Heerema Marine Contractors, with Able UK undertaking the task of recycling and disposal of the structures at TERRC.
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3-Jun-09 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE UK PROJECT SET TO DELIVER MASSIVE BOOST FOR SOUTH HUMBER
Plans for what will be one of the biggest port related developments in the country—covering almost 1,500 acres on the South Bank of the Humber—have been submitted to North Lincolnshire Council.
Able UK Limited, which has already completed the first phase of its Able Humber Port Facility (AHPF), is now putting forward proposals for land north of Immingham which will eventually create around 5,000 jobs and provide what the company’s Executive Chairman Peter Stephenson describes as the ‘vital impetus in exploiting the enormous potential of the South Humber Bank’
Included in the proposals are plans for a wide range of developments designed to provide the services needed for the continuing development of the South Humber Bank which in recent years has been the UK’s fastest growing ports and logistics centre.
These include the creation of transport depots, warehousing and external storage areas, together with offices, a business park and a motel. There will be road and rail links to Immingham Port and the Humber Sea Terminal and a large part of the site will also provide landscaping and provision of areas for wildlife and ecology.
The land, which is the largest site available for port-related developments in the UK, is earmarked for industrial use in the Local Plan and Able sees it as the next stage forward following on from the 200-acre ‘southern’ development.
The proposals have been the subject of public consultation, as well as discussions with the Statutory authorities, local business community, Yorkshire Forward and environmental and wildlife interests.
Says Peter Stephenson “We have been developing our interests in the area over the past decade and share the views of Central Government, Yorkshire Forward, North Lincolnshire Council, and the newly created South Humber Gateway Board that development of the South Humber Bank is of national and international importance.
“Already, for example, it is the location of the UK’s largest port, complex, home to over a quarter of the UK’s refinery capacity, and is very much the preferred investment location for an increasing number of potential clients. We are able to offer a big space in the right place and even in current economic circumstances we are handling a number of exciting enquiries.
“Crucial to meeting the ambitions for fully developing the area’s potential has to be in providing the right business environment and the types of facilities and buildings required to attract new companies and inward investors. This is a great place to do business—ideally placed for both UK and European markets—and with transport links set to further improve we are well placed to take advantage of economic recovery and ensure that the Humber remains the largest tonnage port in the UK.
“We have demonstrated our confidence in the potential of the South Humber through our £50m investment in the existing ‘south' Able Humber Ports Facility. We expect to invest a further £100million into the development of the ‘north’ facility and the overall investment coming into the area is likely to be the region of £1.5billion, with in the region of 5,000 jobs created by the time the project is completed in 2020.
“We have been greatly encouraged by the very positive reception we have already received from all of the agencies involved in working to bring jobs and investment to the South Humber and North Lincolnshire area and we hope that we can build on that support and move forward with our plans as quickly as possible.”
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14-May-09 - Able UK Ltd
‘VIKING’ AMONGST NEW ARRIVALS AT TERRC
Another vessel has arrived at Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port, together with further sections from the largest oil platform ever to be removed from the North Sea.
The 469 tonne Viking Vulcan, a former trawler converted to an oil rig supply vessel, was towed to the Tees from Leith in Scotland.
Meanwhile the first of several giant barges bringing sections of the jacket from the North West Hutton platform has also arrived at TERRC with more to follow over the coming months. This is the second stage of the contract—the topside modules from the platform arrived at the Able facility last year.
Says Peter Stephenson, Able UK’s Executive Chairman, “The Viking Vulcan is, of course, dwarfed by some of the other vessels berthed at TERRC, especially the former French carrier Clemenceau—now known as the Q790—which weighs over 32,000 tonnes—which arrived here in February and is the biggest ship recycling project ever undertaken in Europe.
“Over recent months we have been continuing with the construction of the ‘coffer dam’ at TERRC which will enable us to carry out the dismantling of the Q790 and the other US and UK vessels berthed there in dry dock conditions.
“We are now completing the work on the cofferdam and over the coming weeks will undertake the process of draining the basin with the dismantling operations starting in July.
“The huge sections from the North West Hutton platform do not require access to the basin itself—they arrive on barges and are then wheeled onto the site for dismantling and recycling”
The TERRC facility covers an area of 126 acres with the actual dry dock basin covering 25 acres with a 116 metres wide access, making it the biggest dry dock in the world. Since acquiring the former shipyard and offshore fabrication yard in 1996, Able UK has invested £50million in its development.
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7-May-09 - Able UK Ltd
KELLINGTON GUN JOINS HEUGH BATTERY COLLECTION
An important item of military history is to be added to the gun collection at the Heugh Battery in Hartlepool—thanks to the dismantling of the former minesweeper Kellington now underway in Stockton.
Able UK, which is undertaking the dismantling of the vessel at Stockton Riverside will tomorrow present the anti-aircraft gun removed from the Kellington to John Southcott, Chairman of the Heugh Battery Trust, which has been restoring the historic site over the past decade and has built up an impressive collection of artillery equipment.
The gun from the Kellington is the Bofors 40mm weapon, dating back to 1943 and will complement the army version already on display at the Heugh.
Able UK recently began the dismantling operation on the Kellington after the vessel began to take in water and list heavily. The work is now well underway and is expected to take around two months to complete.
The Heugh Battery dates back to 1859, but is most famous for its role in defending Hartlepool when the town was attacked by three German battle cruisers in December 1914. During the engagement 101 civilians were killed, together with nine soldiers, four sailors and nine German seamen—and the two gun captains at the Heugh were awarded the first-ever pair of Military Medals for their bravery.
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14-Apr-09 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE UK BEGINS WORK ON ‘KELLINGTON’ DISPOSAL
The company awarded ship dismantling contracts by the United States and French Governments will this week start work on the disposal of a former British Navy ship in what has been described as an emergency situation.
Able UK has stepped in to help after the former minesweeper Kellington, began to take in water at its moorings on Stockton Riverside. Originally it had been hoped to move the vessel—once used as a Sea Cadet training centre but unused for a number of years because of safety concerns—out of the water for disposal however recent vandalism means that it will have to be dismantled at the berth where it has lain since first coming to the River Tees in 1993.
With its world-class TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) at Graythorp, Able UK is an international leader in the field of marine dismantling –its most recent arrival was the former French aircraft carrier Clemenceau, now known as the Q790.
Able's Executive Chairman Peter Stephenson says that, although the Kellington, is only a fraction of the size of ships such as the Q790, it will be dismantled to the same exacting standards.
He explained “The Kellington’s fully laden weight was 440 tons, compared to the Q790’s 32,780 tonnes, but in many respects the disposal challenges are similar and we will use the expertise we have gathered over many years to ensure that it is carried out safely and efficiently.
“We have in fact been assisting the various agencies involved in the Kellington’s disposal for some time, but obviously the recent incident which led to the influx of water and the ship starting to list heavily means that the operation will have to be undertaken at the riverside rather than, as we had originally hoped, moving the vessel to a slipway area close to the Tees Barrage. This is not ideal and certainly not the best practice that we adopt in dry dock conditions but, as the Environment Agency have acknowledged, this is an emergency situation.
“Our staff have inspected the vessel over the last few days and this week we will be beginning the initial preparatory stages of the dismantling process which, with a small team of six working in confined circumstances, will take a couple of months to complete.”
Launched from the Sunderland shipyard of William Pickersgill in 1954, the Kellington was one of the ‘Ton’ class of vessels especially designed with a mahogany hull and superstructure of aluminium alloy and other non ferrous materials aimed at reducing its magnetic field for minesweeping duties. With a length of 152ft and a beam of 28ft, she had a total crew of 33.
In its early years the Kellington saw service in Malta and Cyprus and then was on patrol around the UK, as well as being involved in NATO and national mine counter measures, including those based in Gibraltar.
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31-Mar-09 - Able UK Ltd
PRESTIGIOUS AWARD FOR ABLE UK - RECOGNITION OF EXCELLENCE
Able UK Limited has been awarded the ‘Prize for Excellence’ for 2008 – an annual award conferred jointly by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology; the Royal Institution of Naval Architects; and the North East Coast Engineering Trust.
At a ceremony held at Newcastle Civic Centre on Friday 27th March, Peter Stephenson, the Executive Chairman of Able UK Ltd, received the award from Keith Read, the Chief Executive of IMarEST.
Commented Keith Hutchison, the Regional Chairman of the Institute:
“We felt that this year there was only one clear winner – Able UK. Our dilemma was in deciding the category in which to make the award.
“Able UK qualified on a number of counts – business expansion, job creation and sheer perseverance! But in the end we considered their most outstanding asset was their ongoing commitment to the environment.”
He commended the Company “for the way in which it had defended its actions frequently in the face of unfounded rumour and innuendo. It was clear that Able’s groundbreaking approach to ship recycling was the very best practicable environmental option and that the Company’s success should be heralded across the region and beyond.”
For Able UK Ltd the award is further vindication of its £50million investment and its determination to bring work and new jobs to TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) at Hartlepool. After accepting the award Mr Stephenson said:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive this award and it is richly rewarding to be given this honour by a learned Institute that fully understands the requirements and complexities of carrying out the work that we do. We are proud of what we do and we should be celebrating the fact that in Hartlepool we have a world leader, employing local people and supporting local businesses.”
He also paid tribute to their growing list of clients: “It is also to the great credit of our clients that they have recognised the importance of ensuring that their ships and oil platforms should be recycled at a facility where the work will be undertaken safely and under the best environmental conditions. I believe that their action underlines the growing understanding, across the world, of the responsibilities of ship owners who need to ensure that redundant vessels are no longer merely abandoned on the beaches of developing countries. I strongly urge Governments and environmental bodies to emulate the oil industry, the French and the American example and seek to outlaw cheap rate, unregulated and dangerous practices that pose an ongoing threat to both the environment and unprotected workforces.”
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23-Mar-09 - Able UK Ltd
SAFETY FORUM SEES WORK ON OIL PLATFORM CONTRACT
A Teesside company’s work on dismantling the largest fixed oil platform ever to be removed from the North Sea has been under the spotlight from members of a leading industry safety forum.
The forum, which brings safety representatives working for BP and its sub-contractors across its UK and North Sea operations, met on Teesside to visit Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port.
Says Able UK’s Health, Safety and Quality Manager Dr Mike Jasiewicz “We were delighted to co- sponsor the latest meeting of the BP Safety Representatives’ Forum and take the opportunity to let the forum members see the various projects now underway at TERRC.
“Clearly their interest concentrated on the recycling operations that we are carrying out on modules from the North West Hutton platform. In total we had over 50 forum members meeting with our staff and looking at our safety procedures.
“This kind of exercise is very valuable in as part of the general drive to maintain and improve industry-wide safety standards. Of course this is a two way process and I am delighted that some best practice has been shared both ways”
Adds Able UK Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson “We have a long and successful relationship with BP. In 2004, we were proud to receive the ‘Diamond Award’ for our work at the former BP Llandarcy refinery presented to the contractor judged to have contributed most in the areas of health, safety, security and environmental leadership, innovation and management.
“Welcoming the forum to Teesside enabled us to demonstrate that TERRC is a world-class centre for recycling all types of marine structures, including ships, to the best practicable environmental standards (BPEO) —underlined by the award of the North West Hutton contract and the selection of our facility by the US and French Governments for handling their vessels.”
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5-Feb-09 – Environment Agency
Environment Agency demands strict green standards in recycling French naval ship
>>VIEW PDF
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3-Feb-09 - Able UK Ltd
AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEGINS JOURNEY
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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13-Nov-08 - Able UK Ltd
COURT DECISION BOOST FOR ABLE PLANS
Able UK says that today’s rejection of a legal challenge against the Health Safety Executive is a major step forward in clearing the way for the disposal of a former aircraft carrier at the Able Seaton Port facility.
The company says it anticipates that the vessel, formerly known as the Clemenceau—but now referred to as the Q790—will be arriving at its yard before the end of the year, providing another boost to the facility, where a number of other major projects are already well underway.
At a hearing in London, the Court of Appeal rejected an attempted Judicial Review against the Health and Safety Executive to annul its decision to grant an exemption certificate for the importation of asbestos-contaminated material on board the vessel.
Said Able UK Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson “Obviously we are delighted that the Court of Appeal judges recognised that the Health and Safety Executive had acted entirely properly in granting an exemption certificate for the vessel which will be the biggest ship recycling project so far handled by any European yard.
“Today’s verdict, and the process involved, with neither the HSE nor ourselves having to make submissions, again re-emphasises the fact that the lawyers, with many of them funded by the tax payer, have been the only people to have benefitted from the distortions and scaremongering of a tiny minority.
“We have always argued that the Able Seaton Port facility can become a world leader in undertaking marine recycling to the highest possible environmental standards and winning this contract has fully vindicated our vision for the yard and the benefits it will bring to the Hartlepool area, local businesses, the region and the UK economy as a whole.
“Of course, recycling is just one element of our plans for the facility. Since gaining planning approval a year ago we have been undertaking a major development programme to provide the world’s largest dry dock facility as well as over 300 metres of new deepwater quays. Our investment programme, of over £40million, will be substantially completed by mid-2009 and represents a major boost to the Teesside economy.”
Work currently under way at Able Seaton Port includes the decommissioning and recycling of topside structures from the North West Hutton oil platform and around 70 people are currently working on the remediation and recycling of vessels already berthed at the facility. This number is expected to peak at around 200 with the arrival of the Q790 and the completion of the dry dock.
In addition preparations are being made at Able Seaton Port for work on the Tees Alliance Group contract with SeaDragon Offshore for the construction of semi-submersible drilling platforms, providing a further 1,000 jobs.
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29-Sep-08 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE WELCOMES COURT REJECTION OF LATEST ‘SCAREMONGERING
Today’s High Court rejection of a legal challenge against the Health and Safety’s Executive over its decision on the plan to dismantle a former French aircraft carrier at Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) has been welcomed by Able Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson as ‘a victory for commonsense and the local economy—and a defeat for scaremongering and publicity seeking.’
Mr Stephenson was speaking after the Public Interest Lawyers organisation, acting on behalf of an individual, had failed to obtain leave to seek Judicial Review over the Health and Safety Executive’s decision to grant Able an exemption certificate allowing them to import asbestos contaminated materials contained on the former aircraft carrier Clemenceau, now known as the Q790.
Able UK says it is now working towards having all the necessary arrangements in place which allow the vessel to be moved from its current berth at Brest to Able’s TERRC facility at Able Seaton Port, Graythorp, in early November.
Explained Mr Stephenson “I am pleased that the High Court comprehensively rejected the latest attempt to see further public money spent on funding yet another legal challenge based entirely on misrepresentation and scaremongering.
“I hope that today does prove a watershed in ending the campaign of distortion and disinformation which has cost so much not just for our company but for the local economy and local employment—and, of course, the public who paid out so much to fund the activities of so few protesters and their pursuit of never-ending publicity. Just imagine what could have done with the millions which have been wasted over the past five years?
“It is ironic that those who claim to care about the environment have targeted the American and French governments when in fact they have been the two nations prepared to commit themselves to supporting the dismantling of vessels to the highest possible safety and environmental standards.
“Again consider how much better it would have been to have dealt the many millions of tonnes of vessels we could have handled at TERRC over the past five years rather than the damage caused to both the environment and worker’s health by having them broken up on the beaches of the third world with no proper controls or protection.
“TERRC is a world-class facility for a wide range of marine recycling and renewable energy technologies and the awarding of the Q790 contract has vindicated the huge amount of effort and resources invested to put our company—the area and the UK—at the forefront of an industry with enormous potential in the years ahead.”
Work on the Q790 is expected to last about ten months—the first four on remediation work followed by dry dock dismantling. Currently work is underway at TERRC on remediation of the American and UK vessels already berthed there, together with the contract for one of the biggest-ever platform dismantling contracts—the BP North West Hutton platform.
Launched in 1957, the Clemenceau was the mainstay of the French naval fleet and sailed over a million nautical miles before being decommissioned in 1997. The vessel is 238 metres long 65 metres high and a width of 52.2metres. When fully loaded she weighed 32,700 tons.
Able UK is investing £40million in the development of TERRC, providing the world’s biggest dry dock facility as well as over 300 metres of new deep water quays.
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07-Aug-08 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE BEGINS WORK ON MAJOR DISMANTLING PROJECT
One of the biggest-ever oil offshore oil platform dismantling contracts is now underway at Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Able Seaton Port, Graythorp.
Already three huge barges have delivered modules from BP’s North West Hutton platform to TERRC with another three scheduled to arrive in the future.
Installed in 1981 and sited 130kilometres north east of the Shetland Islands, the 37,000 tonnes North West Hutton installation had accommodation and facilities for over 200 personnel and a production capacity of 130,000 barrels a day.
The field ceased production in January 2003 and in 2006 BP announced that the offshore removal and transportation would be undertaken by Heerema Marine Contractors, with Able UK undertaking the task of recycling and disposal of the structures at TERRC.
Says Able UK Chairman Peter Stephenson “A project of this kind is a challenging and complex operation, we have worked closely with BP and Heerema over a number of years preparing for this.
“The first phase of our involvement at TERRC includes the arrival and processing of the topside structures, weighing around 20,000 tonnes. The operation involves their removal from the platform by a heavy lift vessel and then placing them on the barges for the journey to TERRC. We will receive the main steel jacket structure next summer and given the scale of the project, it will provide considerable employment for a period of two years.
“Whilst this is a very big platform—and indeed the largest of its kind to be decommissioned so far in the North Sea—the work involved is the same as we have undertaken in dealing with many redundant offshore structures over the last 20 years. What it demonstrates is that TERRC is established as a world-class centre for the marine reclamation and recycling industry with enormous potential for the future.”
Additional information is available from:- http://www.bp.com/northwesthutton and http://hmc.heerema.com
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01-Jul-08 - Able UK Ltd
MAJOR RECYCLING CONTRACT PROVES TERRC POTENTIAL
Confirmation of the potential for Teesside to become a word-class centre for ship recycling has come again today with the announcement from the French Ministry of Defence that it has awarded the contract for the dismantling of a former aircraft carrier to Able UK Ltd.
It is expected that the vessel, the former Clemenceau—now known as the Q790—will arrive at Able UK’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) at Able Seaton Port, Graythorp, later this summer and remediation and recycling work will take place alongside other vessels already berthed at the facility—including four vessels from the American National Defense Reserve Fleet and three UK ships.
Launched in 1957, the Clemenceau was the mainstay of the French naval fleet and sailed over a million nautical miles before being decommissioned in 1997. The vessel is 238m long with a beam of 31.7m. When fully loaded she weighed 32,700 tons.
Said Mr Stephenson “We have always reasoned that, given the opportunity, TERRC would lead the way in recycling ships to the highest possible environmental standards, this has been underlined with the decision by the French authorities that we should undertake the work on the Clemenceau which will be the biggest ship recycling project so far handled by any European yard.
“With the largest dry dock in the world, we can easily undertake the work on the Clemenceau and other vessels at TERRC whilst continuing with other projects, such as the assembly work for the SeaDragon semi submersible drilling rig project and construction of wind turbines. Since gaining planning approval last November, we have moved rapidly ahead with developing the facility—for instance our two new deep water quays 10 & 11, which are 312m long providing up to 20m of water, will be complete this year.
The granting of our Waste Management Licence, the clearance by the Health and Safety Executive for the Q790 and the confirmation of the award of the Q790 contract justify the huge efforts and resources that have been invested in this area at the forefront of an industry which has enormous potential for growth in the years ahead.
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26-Jun-08 - Able UK Ltd
ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR WORLD-CLASS RECYCLING CENTRE
The final stage in the long-running project to develop Able UKʼs 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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25-Oct-07 - Able UK Ltd
NOW WE CAN MOVE FORWARD AT LAST
‘Now we can at last start to establish the Tees Valley as world-class centre for the marine and renewable energy industries of the Twenty First Century.’
That was how Peter Stephenson, Chief Executive of Able UK, summed up the news that, the company has secured approval from Hartlepool Council for its proposals to develop its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Seaton Port, Graythorp, as the biggest dry dock in the world, opening up huge opportunities to attract international contracts, together with many hundreds of jobs and millions of pounds of investment.
A meeting of the Council’s Planning Committee today approved a series of applications from Able UK for the construction, repair, refurbishment and decommissioning of all types of ships, vessels and other craft, and for the manufacture of wind turbines.
The applications also covered a variety of other works including the construction and refurbishment of quays, the construction of a cofferdam and new dock gates, the installation of a railway track, construction and operation of metal recycling facilities and the erection of industrial and warehouse buildings.
Today’s decision marks a major step forward in Able’s efforts, dating back over four years, to develop TERRC and Mr Stephenson today made clear that, whilst he was pleased that the Committee had given approval, he believed that what he described as ‘a sustained campaign of scaremongering, distortion and misrepresentation’ had proved costly for both the company and the local community.
At the same time he paid tribute to the many organisations and individuals who had ‘supported us throughout this very difficult period and recognised the enormous opportunities offered to put our area at the forefront of modern technlogies in the enviromental field.’
Said Mr Stephenson “In many respects today is a cause for celebration because it means that at last we can move ahead with our plans to exploit the enormous potential of TERRC for a huge range of marine-related and renewable energy activities—and we aim to begin work as soon as possible on the works needed to clinch major construction contracts which can bring around 1,500 jobs to the area over the next two years.
“At the same time I feel a huge sense of regret—which I know is shared by all those working to attract employment and investment into Hartlepool and the North East as a whole—that this project has been delayed for so long by the activities of organisations and individuals who claim to care about the environment but in reality seem more interested in how many headlines they can grab than the wellbeing of local people and the North East region.
“Even at the very last moment, literally hours before today’s meeting, we have seen Mr Phil Michaels, a legal representative for Friends of the Earth, apparently seeking to delay matters still further by totally misrepresenting the reason for the deferment of a decision earlier this month, claiming that members of the Planning Committee wanted to await the outcome of the ongoing Planning Inquiry. That was simply not true and I believe his conduct and that of other Friends of the Earth representatives during this whole issue has been disgraceful and has severely tarnished the organisation’s reputation.
“As we have made clear on many occasions, the acitvities of the objectors—and the delays in the Council reaching a decision—have led to major costs for the company, both in terms of lost business and the costs we have incurred as a result of the Planning Inquiry into the first refusal of our plans by the Council—a decision which they did not seek to defend at the Inquiry.
“There has also been a high price for the community—in terms of the employment opportunities and millions of pounds of wages which have been lost and, I believe, the undermining of efforts to use the talents and skills of local people and bring new investment into the area.
“However, our task now is to move on as quickly as possible—to begin the major investment in upgrading the facilities at the yard and exploit the enormous potential of the largest dry dock in the world. It is a yard with a proud history—and we are confident it can now have a great future.
“We need to move quickly in order to ensure that we are in a position to enable work to begin on the major construction contracts in summer next year—and, of course, we will be in a position to begin work on the reclamation and recycling of the six vessels currently berthed at TERRC—including the four ships from the American National Defense Reserve Fleet.
“I hope that today marks a turning point and that from now on we can concentrate not on the very small minority who have hogged the headlines for so long but the overwhelming majority who want to see jobs and invstment coming into Hartlepool and the wider Tees Valley.”
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12-Oct-07 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE SPELLS OUT CONTRACTS-AND COSTS-AT STAKE
The Chairman of Able UK has today revealed that multi-million pound contracts for the construction of massive concrete sections for the new Tyne Tunnel and for building two of the biggest oil drilling rigs in the world will be lost unless Hartlepool Council gives the go-ahead for plans to develop the company’s Seaton Port yard at Graythorp by the end of the month.
Peter Stephenson said he believed it was vital that the public in Hartlepool and the rest of the region ‘were made fully aware that the responsibility for losing many millions of pounds of investment and hundreds of jobs will rest with the Council and its Members who have twice ignored the advice of their professional officers.’
He also revealed that the company would be ‘vigorously’ pursuing costs from the Council not only for the unnecessary public inquiry but also for the losses flowing from the Council’s failure to decide the new applications.
Members of the Council’s Planning Committee refused the company’s first applications on October 12th last year. On June 18th this year, they announced they would not be defending that decision at appeal. Mr Stephenson said “we helpfully made a new application to give the Council the chance to avoid the Inquiry and save everyone considerable costs. They avoided making a decision last week forcing us to proceed.
“Time after time the so-called ‘environmentalists’ try to claim that all we want to do at our TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility is scrap ships and dump huge amounts of waste into the Seaton Meadows disposal site. I want to make it crystal clear—THAT IS NOT TRUE.
“We have some key contracts available, including the manufacture of four 10,000 tonnes concrete sections for the new Tyne Tunnel and the construction of two large oil rig drilling platforms which will provide work for circa 1,500 people in the Hartlepool and Tees Valley area.
“The delays over the past four years have already inflicted a massive cost, and lost significant opportunities for the entire local economy. It would be a tragedy if yet further significant damage was caused because of the smears and distortion perpetrated by a tiny minority —and the failure of councillors to fulfil their duty to act in the interests of the overwhelming majority of local people and the town as a whole.
“We are now locked in a totally unnecessary inquiry where the Council on one hand have said they have no objections and, on the other hand, are refusing to take the decision that would have removed the need for it. This irresponsible behaviour has cost both sides a huge amount of time and money. Of course, we shall be claiming whatever reimbursement is open to us”.
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5-Oct-07 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE COMMENT RE: COUNCIL'S DEFERRAL DECISION
The decision by Hartlepool Councillors to further delay a decision on plans by Able UK for the development of its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Graythorp has been described by the Company Chairman as ‘a failure to act in the interests of local people which will cost huge investment and job opportunities for the area.’
Peter Stephenson was speaking following the decision by the Council’s Planning Committee to defer a decision on proposals which would enable TERRC to be developed for a wide range of purposes, including the construction, repair, refurbishment and decommissioning of ships, vessels and other craft, the manufacture of wind turbines, construction of drilling rigs together with refurbishment of the existing dry dock (largest in the world) and construction of new deep quays.
Prior to the meeting, Mr Stephenson had made it very clear that timing was critical in clinching major construction contracts which would have brought £300million into the local economy and provided over 750 jobs over the next two years.
In October last year the Council’s Planning Committee refused similar applications from Able UK, but in June this year the Council withdrew its objections to the appeal. The Planning Inquiry into ABLE’s appeal against those refusals begins next Tuesday and Mr Stephenson says that, whilst he is very hopeful that the inquiry will rule in the company’s favour, the decision will come too late to avoid losing major business for the Region.
He explained “For the second time, Councillors were being advised by their own Officers, and now also by their independent consultants to approve the proposals. The independent consultants advised the committee that the proposals would not result in harm to either the human or wildlife environments – which is also the view of Natural England. Given that they had decided not to contest the appeal against their previous refusal, there can be no justification whatsoever for the failure of the Planning Committee Members to make a decision today on what surely must be amongst the most scrutinised planning applications there has ever been.
“Our Managing Director, in his presentation to the Committee, offered cooperation for the long-term benefit of the town – this has clearly been completely rejected.
“The Council was fully aware that it was imperative we received planning approval in order for us to begin large scale construction contracts next year—and that, if we did not receive planning approval in October then the work would be lost.
“Inevitably, if we have to wait until the outcome of the forthcoming Planning Inquiry, which probably will not report until early next year, these contracts—and with them the £50m investment and 750plus jobs they would bring to the area—will be lost.
“Today’s decision is all the more incomprehensible given that there has been a very full public consultation process during which any concerns could have been raised or relevant material produced. We firmly believe that the documentation produced by some objectors today bears no relevance to these applications and provides no justification whatsoever for the deferment of a decision. There has been a sustained campaign against us based on inaccurate information and scaremongering and it is completely unacceptable that councilors have relied on this to avoid making the decision.
"Their Lawyers advised the Councillors that they could not defer simply to pass the responsibility onto someone else which seems to be precisely what they have done. We believe the deferment was unlawful.
“Over the past four years a huge amount of attention has been concentrated on the issue of ship recycling, but that is just a relatively small element of the work we want to bring to TERRC…something in the order of 4 per cent in terms of turnover for the next four years.
“The potential contracts we have in the pipeline—and which are dependent on a positive planning decision on October—include the construction of oil and gas platforms and drilling rigs, as well as concrete tunnel segments, and wind turbine towers—and the recycling of redundant offshore oil and gas platforms which we have successfully and safely carried out at TERRC over many years.
“I only hope that, even at this stage, Members of Hartlepool Council Planning Committee will think again and make a clear and firm positive decision in the interests of local people, especially those who could gain much-needed and employment and the many local businesses that would benefit from the huge investment which would come from having the largest dry dock in the world.”
The company had hoped that work on contracts for steel and concrete construction projects would get underway by summer 2008, together with the start of the recycling of six vessels already berthed there, including the four redundant vessels from the American National Defense Reserve Fleet.
The vessels, the Caloosahatchee, Canisteo, Compass Island and Canopus arrived at TERRC in November 2003, but the company was unable to go ahead with work on recycling them following a court ruling against HBC stating that their previous planning permission allowing the recycling of ‘marine structures’ did not include ‘ships’.
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18-Jun-07 - Able UK Ltd
COUNCIL NOT TO CONTEST APPEAL
ABLE are pleased that Hartlepool Council have confirmed that they are not going to challenge ABLE’s appeal against the decisions by their Planning Committee to refuse three planning applications for new facilities for the construction and assembly of wind turbines, refurbishment of the existing dry dock, construction of new quays, construction, refurbishment and recycling of ships.
”Although the Council has no objections to the scheme, ABLE still does not have planning permission. We are exploring whether the Council will now grant permission so as to remove the uncertainties as quickly as possible” said Able UK Chairman Peter Stephenson. “ABLE will continue to act in a responsible way so as to save costs for the people of Hartlepool and bring additional long term employment to the town as soon as possible.”
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30-May-07 - Able UK Ltd
DISAPPOINTMENT OVER SHIPS CONTRACT—BUT APPEAL CONTINUES
The Chairman of Able UK has today announced that the company has renegotiated its contract with the United States Department of Transportation Maritime Administration for the recycling of vessels from the US Reserve Fleet at the company’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Graythorp.
Mr Peter Stephenson says that the company will not receive the nine other vessels scheduled to come to TERRC under the original terms of the contract but will still purchase the two part built ships and recycle the four ships which have been berthed at TERRC since November 2003.
He also revealed that the opportunity to recycle a redundant British Navy vessel had been lost because of the delays in gaining new planning approvals for development of TERRC—but stressed that the company remained committed to developing a world-class ship recycling facility and has lodged its appeal against Hartlepool Borough Council’s refusal of its plans to upgrade the facility and develop facilities for the construction of wind generation equipment. The appeal is expected to commence in September 2007 and is likely to take five weeks.
Said Mr Stephenson “Whilst we are pleased that we have been able to agree with United States Department of Transportation Maritime Administration that our contract for the recycling of the four vessels currently berthed at TERRC continues, it is disappointing that, after all the efforts of so many people, the opportunity to bring the additional work, which would have been generated through the other nine vessels, has been lost due to the delay.
“In addition the delay resulting from the decisions of Hartlepool Council’s planning committee last October means that we lost the opportunity to recycle the Royal Navy vessel HMS Intrepid—we understand that this work is likely to go to Merseyside.
“As we made clear at the time of the Planning Committee’s decisions we believe that it is of benefit to Hartlepool, the wider Teesside area—and indeed the whole of the UK—that we do not miss out on the opportunity to establish our area as a centre of excellence for both marine recycling technology and the development of wind power electric generation.
“We now understand that our appeal against the Planning Committee’s decisions will be considered in September and we are hopeful that we will have the appropriate planning permissions in place by the end of the year, to enable the start of ship recycling operations Early in 2008”.
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6-Nov-06 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE ‘DISAPPOINTMENT’ AS COUNCIL REFUSES TO THINK AGAIN
Able UK has today described as ‘very disappointing’ the decision by Hartlepool Councillors not to reconsider their refusal of the company’s plans for the development of its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) at Graythorp.
Following this afternoon’s meeting of the council’s Planning Committee, Able UK’s Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson stressed that the company had given the authority details of numerous inaccurate statements made during the original meeting which voted to reject the company’s applications—and had given additional information about potential opportunities for bringing work to the yard.
He also revealed that since the original rejection of their plans Able had been inundated with expressions of support from across the region—including offers to organise a protest march in the town.
Said Mr Stephenson “It is very disappointing that Hartlepool Borough Council Planning Committee have not taken the opportunity to reconsider our planning applications for various activities at TERRC, which included refurbishing the dry dock to be used for construction of oil platforms, gravity base structures, shipbuilding, ship repairs and ship recycling works, as well as facilities for the construction of new wind turbines. This had the potential to create over 749 quality permanent jobs and benefits to North East Suppliers of around £50m per annum.
“At the original planning meeting on 12th October, despite Officers providing the Planning Committee with a comprehensive 177-page report, which contained significant factual information, and confirmed there were no objections from any Statutory Consultees--including the Environment Agency and Natural England, formerly English Nature--and provided a clear recommendation to approve the application, the Committee still discussed a number of topics that were both untrue and misleading.
“Following that meeting we wrote to the Chief Executive of Hartlepool Borough Council and the Director of Planning and detailed many of the inaccuracies that were mentioned by Councillors and Objectors at the meeting. We also provided additional information that we had not been able to provide at the time of the meeting due to reasons of client confidentiality. This additional information included additional jobs for construction work in the dry dock.
“We had hoped that Councillors who voted against the application would have taken the opportunity to realise the benefits and reconsider the application, hopefully indicating approval, which would have allowed the development works to commence, therefore providing a significant long-term benefit to the area.
“Since the Planning Committee’s initial decision we have been inundated with letters of support from individuals and companies from across the North East region, stating very clearly that they cannot understand why the Planning Committee did not approve the application.
“In addition, we have received an abundance of job applications and support from individuals offering to organise a protest march in Hartlepool to show support for our application.”
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12-Oct-06 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE PLEDGES TO APPEAL OVER TERRC PLANS REFUSAL
The Chairman of Able UK says that ‘it is in the interests of Hartlepool, the wider Teesside area—and indeed the UK as a whole—that we do not miss the opportunity to establish our area as a centre of excellence for marine recycling technology and the development of wind power.’
Mr Peter Stephenson, speaking after members of Hartlepool Council’s Planning Committee today refused applications for the development of the company’s TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Graythorp, made it clear that the company would be lodging an appeal.
The plans would extend the uses of the facility to allow for the construction, repair, refurbishment and decommissioning of ships, vessels and other craft and the manufacture of wind turbines. The company also wants to carry out improvements at TERRC including the construction and refurbishment of quays, the building of a cofferdam and installation of new dock gates.
Said Mr Stephenson “Obviously we are very disappointed that as a result of today’s decision we face a further delay in our plans for making full use of the potential for TERRC which is undoubtedly one of the best sites in Europe to meet the growing demand for environmentally acceptable facilities for marine recycling, whether ships or other structures such as oil & gas platforms.
“What should be remembered is that the Council’s own officers, as well bodies such as the Hartlepool Economic Forum, have stressed that this facility offers an opportunity to develop a world-class centre for an industry which is set to expand rapidly in the years ahead. We have the facilities, the skills and expertise to undertake this work—and it is an industry which the UK Government has made clear it wants to see established in the UK.
“We have been involved in the decommissioning of oil and gas platforms at TERRC for many years— and only a few days ago it was announced by BP that we have been awarded the contract to handling the work of dismantling and recycling the large North West Hutton topside & jacket. We want to use the high level of expertise we have developed in the company in both marine and land recycling in dealing with ships which, it should be pointed out, pose just the same challenges as dealing with oil and gas platforms.
“We will clearly have to consider the issues very carefully after the outcome of today’s meeting but one thing is clear…we will be lodging an appeal. There is a desperate need for world-class ship recycling facilities in the UK and the rest of Europe and there is overwhelming evidence that our facility can—and should—be developed to meet that need.”
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28-Jun-06 - Able UK Ltd
UPDATE ON TERRC PLANNING PERMISSION & WASTE MANAGEMENT LICENCE
Able UK Ltd is delighted that the EIS and Supplementary information submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council has enabled the statutory consultees to be in a position to withdraw their objections to the scheme.
The Environmental Impact Assessments have fully demonstrated to the satisfaction of the authorities that the proposals submitted for planning permission and waste management license (WML) will not create any significant detrimental effect on the environment.
The Planning Application is now in the final stages of the planning process and we look forward to an imminent planning meeting to hopefully obtain planning approval for the development work which will include the refurbishment of the largest dry dock in Europe and the provision of facilities for offshore wind turbine manufacture.
Once Planning Permission is granted this should be followed by the issuing of a Waste Management Licence by the UK Environment Agency. Additionally the proposals will be controlled under the auspices of the company’s ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards for which the company is already fully accredited for all its activities.
Planning Permission and the WML will trigger the commencement of work on the recycling of ships in a manner that provides the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO), and the provision of the dry dock for construction contracts.
The TERRC facility will provide a major contribution to meeting ship recycling demands and places the North East at the forefront of this emerging sector. The development will lead to the creation of over 700 jobs making a very positive impact on the local economy.
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18-Mar-05 - Able UK Ltd
LICENCE APPLICATION ‘IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD’ FOR TERRC PLANS
Able UK says its submission to the Environment Agency of an application for a new waste management licence for its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) site at Seaton Port Graythorp marks another important step forward in its plans for the continued development of the facility.
The Company’s Group Managing Director Martin Hopkins today welcomed the confirmation from the Environment Agency that it has now begun processing the licence application which is seeking approval for a wide range of activities to be undertaken at TERRC—including shipbuilding, ship repair and the recycling of both ships and offshore structures.
In January ABLE submitted a planning application to Hartlepool Borough Council for the TERRC development, which includes the construction of new quays, a cofferdam and dry dock gate and would also provide facilities for the manufacture of wind turbine towers and blades, as well as the assembly of turbine generator units.
Said Martin Hopkins “The waste management licence is obviously a key element in enabling us to move ahead with our proposals for TERRC. We welcome the fact that the Environment Agency, along with the Council, intends to fully consult on our proposals and we hope that as many people as possible will take the opportunity to discover the full facts about our plans—not least the conclusion of the very detailed Environmental Impact Statement, which has been prepared by international independent consultants, and confirms that the proposed developments will not have any significant impact on the local ecology.
“It is important to stress that the opportunity to create a world-class ship recycling centre is just one aspect of the opportunities if the application is approved. It will also enable ship and offshore construction and repair work in one of the biggest dry dock facilities in Europe, as well as boosting the opportunities for the Tees Valley to become a key centre for the rapidly developing renewable energy sector. The employment opportunities are very significant—in total the project could generate up to 700 jobs.”
The potential economic benefits were underlined recently by the Government. In its response to the House of Commons Environment Committee’s report on ship recycling the Government made clear its wish to see the establishment of high-quality ship recycling in the UK adding that ‘we believe that the UK has the skills base and expertise to operate such facilities safely and that such an industry can offer economic benefits to surrounding communities.’
The Graythorp facility was originally developed as a shipbuilding yard, with almost 500 vessels being built there between 1913 and 1963. Laing Offshore acquired the yard in 1969 and developed the site for the construction of large offshore structures and decommissioning work. ABLE purchased the facility in 1996 and have imported and recycled marine structures for many leading companies.
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17-Jan-05 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE SUBMITS PLANS FOR TERRC DEVELOPMENT
Able UK has confirmed that it has submitted what Chairman and Chief Executive Peter Stephenson described as 'a very substantial and significant' planning application to Hartlepool Council for the continued development and expansion of its TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre) facility at Seaton Port, Graythorp, Hartlepool.
The application, which involves the construction of three new quays, a cofferdam and a dry dock gate, includes proposals for activities including shipbuilding, ship repair and recycling, together with facilities for the manufacture of wind turbine towers and blades, as well as the assembly of turbine generator units.
A detailed Environmental Impact Statement, prepared by international independent consultants and submitted with the planning application, confirms that the proposed developments would not have any significant impact on the local ecology.
Said Peter Stephenson “We have undertaken a massive amount of work on developing our proposals since the legal hearings which effectively halted our operations at TERRC over a year ago. It has taken over 12 months to complete the application and the environmental impact statement which shows just how carefully and comprehensively we have approached the task.
“Whilst a great deal of attention has surrounded our wish to develop the facility as a world-class centre for ship recycling, it is important to stress that this is just one aspect of the opportunities which will be available if we are able to carry out the proposals in this planning application.
“It will, for example, provide the chance for ship and offshore construction and repair work in what will be one of the biggest dry dock facilities in Europe, as well creating a major opportunity for the Tees Valley to become a key centre in the rapidly expanding area of wind power technology. Clearly there is the potential for creating very significant numbers of new jobs as the project develops.
“We are hopeful that the application will be considered positively by the Borough Council and that we can begin construction and operational activities early this spring.”
The Graythorp facility was originally developed as a shipbuilding yard, with almost 500 vessels being built there between 1913 and 1963. Laing Offshore acquired the yard in 1969 and developed the site for the construction of large offshore structures and decommissioning work.
Able UK purchased the facility in 1996 and have imported and recycled marine structures for many leading companies. In 2003 it was awarded a contract by the American Government's Maritime Administration (MARAD) for the remediation and recycling of 13 redundant vessels from the US Reserve Fleet. The first four vessels from the contract have been at TERRC since late 2003.
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11-Nov-04 - Able UK Ltd
TERRC UPDATE - SHIP RECYCLING WORKS
Dismantling Defunct Ships in the UK: Report to be Published 11th Nov 04
The UK Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has today published its report on dismantling defunct ships in the UK. Click here for a summary or download the full report in PDF format.
11-Nov-04 - Able UK Ltd
ABLE WELCOMES ‘VINDICATION’ IN MPS’ SHIP DISMANTLING REPORT
A high-powered report from MPs calling for the Government to support the development of a thriving UK ship dismantling industry has been welcomed as ‘a very positive vindication of the arguments we have been putting forward’ by the Chief Executive of Able UK.
Mr Peter Stephenson was speaking following the publication of the report from the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, into the dismantling of defunct ships in the UK. Their inquiry was sparked by the debate over Able’s contract for the dismantling of a number of redundant vessels from the US Reserve Fleet.
In their report the MPs argue strongly that there is a need for the UK Government and other national and international organisation to take urgent action to end the dismantling of vessels in ‘wholly inadequate’ conditions in a number of developing countries—and they argue that this country has ‘the potential to establish an industry in ship dismantling which can be done safely and offer economic benefits to the communities in which it is carried out.’
Said Peter Stephenson “That key message from the MPs sums up exactly the argument we have consistently put forward in arguing the benefits of the facility that we have developed at TERRC (Teesside Environmental Reclamation and Recycling Centre)—both in terms of ensuring that ships are dismantled in the safest conditions and under the best possible environmental conditions… providing valuable business and jobs for Hartlepool and the wider North East and also providing the Best Practicable Environmental Option.
“What is striking in the report is that it gives no credence whatsoever to the scaremongering tactics adopted by Friends of the Earth and others in their efforts to prevent any ship recycling activities at our TERRC facility.
“There are many positive aspects to the report—including their clear messages that health, safety and environmental protection must be the ‘most important consideration’ in deciding where a ship should be dismantled and that the Government should give a lead by ensuring that all Royal Navy and other state-owned vessels should be dismantled at UK facilities.
“Like the Committee we very much welcome the Government’s commitment to produce a ship recycling strategy and support their call for urgent action to eradicate the appalling practices where ships are literally rammed onto the beaches of developing countries and torn apart with no thought for the health of the workers or the consequences for the world environment.
“I think it is important to underline that Greenpeace, which has consistently campaigned on this issue, has recognised that our facilities do meet the highest possible standards—and in fact made that clear when we were bidding for the dismantling of the Brent Spar oil platform. This has been demonstrated for over a decade whilst we have been successfully decommissioning marine structures and when we had to meet the very high environmental requirements of the American authorities when we were prequalifying for work with MARAD (the American Maritime Administration)—and in fact we also meet all further requirements that have been introduced by international bodies since we were qualified for the contract.
“There are however some factual points raised in the report which do require clarification. It refers to the fact that there was ‘little interest’ from UK yards in bidding for the dismantling of HMS Intrepid. For the record, we have bid for that work on two occasions.
“The report also suggests that there may some doubt about whether our facility could handle the largest tankers. Again the facts are that we have carried out studies which show conclusively that TERRC is able to handle the largest ships.
“What is absolutely clear from this report is that those who have pedalled distortions and scare stories about our company, the standards of our facilities and the work we are seeking to bring to our region, now stand totally discredited. I hope that from now on we can move forward on the basis of facts rather than fiction—and a recognition that companies and work forces such as ours should be supported in our efforts to meet an urgent and important environmental challenge.”
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11-Nov-04 - Frank Cook MP
REPORT PROVES ‘WE ARE ABLE TO MEET RECYCLING CHALLENGE’
Stockton North MP Frank Cook says a report from an influential House of Commons Committee ‘demonstrates beyond any doubt that here on Teesside we really are ‘Able’ to meet the challenge of ship recycling—doing it safely, effectively and creating real jobs for local people.’
Mr Cook, whose constituency includes the headquarters of Able UK—the company whose contract to recycle redundant American vessels led to the inquiry by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee—said the findings of the report clearly supported the need for the type of facilities which the Teesside company had been developing and ‘exposes the cynical nonsense of those who boasted of their ‘green’ credentials but actually sought to undermine the efforts of those seeking the very best environmental solution to the thorny issue of ship dismantling.’
Said the MP “As someone who has consistently argued the case for protecting the environment for more that a quarter of a century, I was genuinely shocked by the antics of some organisations and individuals during the so-called ‘ghost ships’ saga. Apparently they were more interested in gaining cheap headlines based on blatant scaremongering, in total disregard of the facts.
“What I found especially reprehensible was that, whilst choosing to target a company seeking to tackle a very difficult job in a professional manner and to the highest environmental standards, they conveniently ignored the fact that the vast majority of vessels from the rich countries—including the UK and Europe—end their days on the beaches of the developing world where workers run the risk of injury and death and the environmental impact is equally horrific.
“I am delighted that my colleagues on the Committee have exposed the fallacy of those who mounted their cynical campaign against Able and have revealed the reality that, far from seeking to undermine the company, we should be supporting the development of a proper world-class ship recycling industry in the UK generally in on Teesside specifically.
“The Committee makes very clear their belief that this kind of work can be carried out safely and that it can bring economic benefits to the communities where it is based—and in the case of Able UK that means my constituents and other Teessiders who need the kind of jobs the company wants to provide if it is given the kind of support it deserves.
“Today’s report is a watershed in this debate—and I believe it shows clearly the tide is turning in favour of genuine commonsense and a real concern for the environment.”
The report will be posted on www.ableshiprecycling.com this morning.
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21-Apr-04 - Able UK Ltd
PLANNING PERMISSION - FABRICATION FACILITIES
Able UK obtained planning permission for two new fabrication facilities, purposely designed for the fabrication of wind turbine structures at TERRC.
6-Jan-04 - Able UK Ltd
COMPANY ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF NEW HAZARDOUS WASTE TREATMENT PLANT
Able UK, the Teesside company at the centre of plans to dismantle a fleet of redundant US Navy ships, today announced details of a pioneering new £1.2 million plant to treat hazardous waste.
The Seaton Meadows landfill site in Brenda Road at Hartlepool, will be developed into a purpose-built facility capable of converting hazardous waste into “concrete blocks” of stable non-reactive material which can be disposed of in purpose built impervious cells.
The scheme, involving the conversion of existing buildings, has full planning permission and will be operational by July this year to meet a potential shortfall of treatment and disposal facilities within the UK.
It meets the requirements of the European Landfill Directive, introduced in 1999 to bring all European states in line with the best available landfill techniques.
One of the major impacts of the directive was the introduction of Prevention of Pollution Control Permitting to create national standards – some sites had been operating without containment liners which meant pollutants could leak into the environment. That can no longer happen.
The directive will also mean the end of co-disposal – landfilling hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste.
Another major problem facing the waste industry from this summer was that most landfill sites are opting to become non-hazardous which will would have left a major shortfall in the number of sites available. Pre-treatment will also become necessary and few suitable plants are available.
But the process at Seaton Meadows, the result of co-operation between Able, industry the government will provide solve these problems, in line with Best Available Techniques – the new industry standard.
Able’s environmental and waste manager, Ian Fenny said today: “The plant will in effect take hazardous waste and treat it to a point where it no longer poses the same hazards to the environment.
This process has been developed to work hand in hand with the European Directive and offers the wasted industry the much-needed option of meeting their obligations under the directive
“The facility will have a pre-treatment consolidation/solidification plant that will turn hazardous waste into a stable non-reactive material that will be disposed of in purpose built cells.
“These cells will be separate from the bio-degradable waste, making it possible to dispose of the stabilised hazardous waste without breaking the co-disposal requirements.”
The conversion work will create thirty construction jobs and twelve permanent posts once the process is underway.
If permission is finally given to dispose of the US fleet, the facility will be used to dispose of the small amounts of hazardous waste which may be involved.
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