Maritime Administration set to remove obsolete ships from California's Suisun Bay

Last week, DOT's Maritime Administration, the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board and the Natural Resources Defense Council, along with other environmental groups, agreed on a plan developed in October 2009 to remove 52 obsolete ships from California's Suisun Bay for recycling. Since we announced our commitment to cleaning up and recycling these dilapidated ships last fall, the Maritime Administration has already removed five ships--with the fifth departing last Wednesday.

Ghost fleet awaits removal from Suisun Bay

This agreement reflects President Obama's commitment to protect the environment and his pledge to work with local groups to make that important goal a reality.

As Congressman George Miller noted:

"During the last eight years, virtually no action was taken to clean up the ships, and only a few of the decaying ships were removed, despite clear congressional direction. But today’s announcement is a significant step forward. In just one year, the Obama Administration has restarted a stalled process, and crafted a plan that will lead to the removal of the worst ships."

Rep. George Miller, flanked by environmental groups, thanks the Administration for a "significant step forward."

I want to thank Maritime Administrator David Matsuda for partnering with the State of California and others to move this project forward. I know coordinating a project of this scale hasn't been easy, and I appreciate his commitment to the many stakeholders and to protecting our environment.

The logistics of transporting a fleet this size to a facility where they can be recycled are complicated, and it will take about two years to get the next 20 ships out of the bay.

You see, before the ships--some of which have been mothballed for generations--are even removed, they have to be made environmentally safe to travel. So, first, we tow them safely to a nearby San Francisco shipyard for some drydock time where they'll be cleaned of any toxic substances and marine growth.

Then, the cleaned vessels are towed down the Pacific coast and through the Panama Canal to Brownsville, Texas, for dismantling and recycling.

Meanwhile, we also have to make sure the ships in the bay are cleaned up and inspected regularly.

It may take a while, but every ship we remove improves the environmental condition of Suisun Bay and the quality of life for the surrounding community.

Comments

[dona ridgeway]

Thank you! Our annual trips up north always pass 'the fleet'. Had thought of alternative uses, including one big paintball extravaganza (obvious liability insurance impossibility, but young males were very positive for that).

Lots of work and effort, and worth every bit of it ~ U.S.

[Michael E. Bailey]

I have been hearing about environmental problems concering some of the moth balled ships at this facility. Some were rusting badly, the paint peeling badly, all of which winds up polluting the water. Alot of the men that were on the Merchant Marine crews of these ships from the 2ed World War to the 1960s hate to see them go. But it is time. Maybe some of the best units could be converted into floating museums. But the situation for some of these ships was such that if they were not removed and recycled, they would deteriorate to such a degree they would sink in the Bay causing even greater environmental problems. The modern container ships, heavy lift ships, pre-positioned cargo ships and others are able to handle much more cargo faster than the ships at this facility can do. They have a heroic past and they have served long and well but like the old soldier in the Spanish American War barracks song, it is time for them to fade away. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.

[Bob Prichard]

I feel that a $16 million fine for Toyota is excessive. If this was an American car company, it would have been 1/10th the amount. Toyota makes excellent cars, which is why it is now the number 1 car maker in the world. I always insist on a Camry or Avalon when I rent a car because I know it will be trouble-free, something that I have not found with American cars. Throwing excessive fines at Toyota will not help the American car industry. They spurned Deming for years, but the Japanese were smart enough to adopt his methods. Punitive fines are only going to make us unpopular abroad. Do us all a favor and retract this fine and ask for $1.6 million. Toyota has certainly apologized enough and has been very good about fixing the problem. Kindness and forgiveness are much nicer qualities than vindictiveness.

[abnehmen]

Finally!! the got removed

[Mason Hicks]

We should use the steel to build railroad track...
But please, make sure that all of these ships do in fact go to Brownsville as you stated. Make especially sure that none of these ships end up on the chop-shop beaches of South Asia where child laborers are subjected to horendous safety hazards while wading around in the toxic stew that washes off the ship carcasses and onto the beaches. No us flagged ship, or ship belonging to a company with US ties should ever end up there.
Secretary LaHood, I am asking you to see to this personally.

[Pollyparks]

Dear Secretary LaHood,

Our company shares DOT's relief that the SBRF problem and lawsuit has been resolved. However, I have a couple of questions regarding your post.

Has MARAD changed its ship disposal solicitation from open, transparent competition to sole sourcing? Only four of the six active pre-qualified ship recycling companies are in Brownsville, Texas.

I am also interested in why MARAD cut its FY11 budget request from $12 million for ship disposal to $7 million when it knew at the time the budget was developed what its fixed costs would be to remove the 20 vessels over the next two fiscal years. By the way, MARAD says on its Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Agreement fact sheet that they agreed to remove 28 ships by the end of FY11. While the active ship recycling firms would be quite pleased to help MARAD meet that goal, the facts should be clarified.

I understand that MARAD says it will not need a plus-up to meet the additional costs to remove vessels from the SBRF by end of FY11 as it has some funding in reserve and can meet the anticipated $38 million cost from the FY10 and FY11 budgets along with what must be approximately $21 million in reserve. I am interested in whether MARAD has any more reserves or other obligated funding for non-Savannah related ship disposal and/or MARAD intends to just sit on the vessels at the BRF and SBRF until FY12.

Thank you,
Polly Parks
Southern Recycling-EMR
pparks@sorec-emr.com

[GMCJ]

There is an alternative that can help speedy up the process of removing the mothball fleet from Suisun Bay in an enviromentally friendly manner. I know of a facility in Mexico´s west coast that dismantles vessels. Their opertaion and facility meet every and all US regulations. This could be a solution to dismantling vessels that cant make the journey all the way around to Brownsville and save MARAD money. Please consider this as an option to cleaning up the bay a lot sooner than 2017.

Thank You.