[CPEO-MEF] Fairness questioned in ghost fleet scrap deal

[CPEO Moderator <cpeo@cpeo.org>]

Virginia
THE DAILY PRESS
Fairness questioned in ghost fleet scrap deal
By David Lerman
Washington Bureau
July 16, 2003

WASHINGTON -- A plan to let a British company scrap 13 ships from the
James River Reserve Fleet came under fire Tuesday amid revelations the
pending deal is tied to a sale of two Navy oilers that had not been
disclosed to domestic ship-scrappers.

The disclosure, made by Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa., raised new questions
about the fairness of the bidding process used by the Maritime
Administration in deciding who should dispose of the obsolete "ghost
fleet," which has become a floating environmental hazard.

Domestic scrappers expressed frustration that much-needed shipyard work
would be sent overseas - under conditions they said made them unable to
compete effectively.

The pending deal, negotiated through the New York-based Post Remediation
Partners, calls for the British company, Able UK Ltd., to scrap 13 ships
at its environmentally approved shipyard in Teesside, England. But the
agreement also would allow the company to buy - and later sell at a
profit - two never-completed Navy ships that could be used as oilers,
officials acknowledged.

This article can be viewed at:
http://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-42285sy0jul16.story

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