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North American Ship Recycling News

29 Nov 2007

Chesapeake Firm to Recycle Ships

Two government ships, currently moored at a shipyard near Baltimore, Md., will be recycled at the Bay Bridge Enterprises facility in Chesapeake, Va., under the terms of contracts announced today by the Maritime Administration. Both are World War II-era ships, formerly anchored in the James River Reserve Fleet in Newport News, Va. Bay Bridge will receive $95,000 to dismantle the Hoist, and $695,000 to dismantle the Sphinx. Both ships were originally awarded to North American Ship Recycling, Inc. Those contracts were terminated by the Maritime Administration after notification by North American Ship Recycling, Inc. that the company had terminated all operations at the Sparrows Point Shipyard.

24 Aug 2007

MarAd to Remove Remaining High Priority Vessels from James River Fleet

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration said that it has made arrangements to remove the last of several high-priority vessels from the James River Reserve Fleet. The agency has awarded five ship-disposal contracts worth a total of $2,161,610 to North American Ship Recycling of Sparrows Point, Md. The departure of Cape Charles, Pride, Scan, Southern Cross, and Sphinx will bring the number of ships leaving the James River to 66 since January 2001. The Sphinx, a cable-layer built in Japan in 1944, is the only World War II-era ship in this group of five. The condition of the Sphinx made it a high-priority ship for the Maritime Administration for several years, but disposal was delayed while charitable groups tried to raise money to save it.

09 Nov 2007

Shipyard Closes, Leaves “Ghost Fleet” Ships in Limbo

The fates of six ships from the James River Reserve Fleet are in limbo after a Maryland salvage yard that was supposed to scrap the vessels abruptly closed and its owners disappeared. North American Ship Recycling Inc., near Baltimore, won federal contracts in August worth $2.1m to dispose of the government-owned dinosaurs. But the yard, which opened in 2004 amid much fanfare, including a celebratory speech from then-U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, shut down without notice sometime last month, leaving behind two of the Virginia "ghost fleet" ships and plenty of questions. To protect against a fuel spill, government-hired crews have since installed rubber booms around the two abandoned ships…

17 Jul 2007

North American Ship Recycling Buys James River Ship

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MarAd) announced that North American Ship Recycling is buying the World War II-era vessel Hoist for $61,000. The ship will soon be leaving the James River, headed for the firm’s facility at Sparrows Point, near Baltimore, Md. When the Hoist departs, it will be the 60th ship to depart the James River fleet since January 2001. The Hoist, a Navy rescue and salvage ship built in 1945, served with distinction for 49 years, and entered the James River Reserve Fleet in 1994. In 1964 and again in 1966 it participated in significant undersea searches: first for the lost attack submarine USS Thresher, and later for the recovery of a hydrogen bomb lost off Palomares, Spain after the crash of a B-52 bomber.

27 Jul 2006

Navy Ship Exits Ghost Fleet

The Orion, an obsolete Navy repair vessel built in 1943, is scheduled to depart on July 27 from the James River Reserve Fleet off Newport News. The Daily Press reported that the U.S. Maritime Administration expects to tow away the vessel at 9:30 a.m. It should pass under the James River Bridge about two hours later, depending on weather conditions. The Orion will be dismantled by North American Ship Recycling in Baltimore. It is the 53rd ship to leave the ghost fleet since 2001. (Source: Daily Press)

24 Mar 2006

More Ships to Leave Ghost Fleet

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.

23 Mar 2006

More Ships to Leave James River Fleet

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.