U.K. agency allows storage of MarAd vessels, but no scrapping
The United Kingdom’s Environment Agency has allowed two additional vessels sent to Britain by the U.S. Maritime Administration for scrapping to be stored at Hartlepool on the Teesside, next to two MarAd vessels that arrived last week.
The four ships, the 'Caloosahatchee,' 'Canisteo,' 'Canopus' and 'Compass Island,' are docked under control of the harbor authority in Hartlepool.
The Environment Agency has modified conditions of a waste management license held by Able UK to allow storage of the four vessels from MarAd’s James River Reserve Fleet. However, the license modifications still mean “no dismantling, cutting or breaking of (the) ships in any way or form is permitted,” the agency said in a statement.
Meantime, the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency will “ascertain the integrity of the vessel’s structures and safety systems following their passage from the U.S. to ensure that they pose no risk,” the agency said.