Howard W Gilmore News

Two more ships are leaving the James River, headed for disposal facilities in Virginia and Maryland, in what has become a regular occurrence since the Bush Administration took over management of the nation’s ship disposal program five years ago, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced. The Howard W. Gilmore is scheduled to leave the James River Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis on Thursday, making it the 50th ship to leave the river since January 1, 2001. It is one of the last World War II-vintage ships still at the fleet, which is good news for the ship disposal program, according to John Jamian, MARAD’s Acting Administrator. In a news conference at the fleet site today, Jamian said, “Our disposal efforts can keep moving to newer ships, which bring better prices in the scrap steel market.

Two more ships are leaving the James River, headed for disposal facilities in Virginia and Maryland, in what has become a regular occurrence since the Bush Administration took over management of the nation’s ship disposal program five years ago, the U.S. Maritime Administration announced on March 23. The Howard W. Gilmore, one of the last World War II-vintage ships still at the fleet, is scheduled to leave the James River Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis, making it the 50th ship to leave the river since January 1, 2001. The next ship set to leave is a barge, the UEB, sold to North American Ship Recycling of Sparrows Point, MD, for more than $76,000. MARAD maintains the James River Reserve Fleet at Fort Eustis as a reserve of ships for defense and national emergencies.

The USS Howard W. Gilmore will be the 50th ship to leave the James River Reserve Fleet to be scrapped. The ship's departure was delayed Wednesday, because of high winds and choppy water. It's now expected to be hauled away later this week. The World War Two-era ship was decommissioned in 1980. The federal Maritime Administration has spent about $99 million removing the ships. The ghost fleet still includes 47 ships slated for scrapping. Source: AP