A two-year battle to dismantle ghost ships on Teesside could be resolved by the end of the year.
| Untouched: The ghost ships (from left) Caloosahatchee, Canisteo, Canopus and Compass Island in the Terrc recycling dock of Able UK at Graythorp |
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The man behind the plan, Peter Stephenson, said further information was being submitted this week in a bid to satisfy environmental concerns. If all goes to plan, he anticipates a final decision by the end of the year. It has been almost two years since the Caloosahatchee docked at Graythorp. The Canopus, Compass Island and the Canisteo from the defunct US naval fleet, nicknamed the ghost ships, followed. Able UK won an £11m contract to break and recycle 13 US vessels at its Hartlepool yard. The promise of hundreds of jobs meant many Teessiders welcomed their arrival. Green groups on both sides of the Atlantic, however claimed the vessels should be dismantled in their home country. Legal complications meant the paperwork Able was relying on to get the job done was overturned and the company had to reapply. Since then the ships have remained untouched as Able continued its fight to gain planning permission. Plans were submitted in January, but in May the Environment Agency requested further information be included in its Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This will be submitted on Tuesday. Mr Stephenson said: "It's been a disappointing two years. When we were originally granted planning permission in the late 1990s, it had been through all the correct procedures, so it is frustrating that we have had to do it all again. "Around 750 jobs are relying on this decision - not just the MARAD contract but also for wind turbine manufacturing contracts at the site." Mr Stephenson has maintained the ships would be dismantled under the best possible conditions, by a company that has earned awards for its health, safety and environmental standards. One of the most vocal groups opposing the scheme has been Friends of the Earth. Mike Childs, campaigns director for the group, said it was awaiting the revised EIS before making a final comment. * Peter Stephenson will answer questions in an Open to Question special in the Gazette. Write with comments or questions to: Able UK - Open To Question, c/o Naomi Paylor, Evening Gazette, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, TS1 3AZ. e-mail: naomi.paylor@eveninggazette.co.uk | 
