As the four vessels proceed across the Atlantic, court battles have raged in America between MARAD and environmental groups and are threatened in the UK by Friends of the Earth, who argue that the ageing ships could break up during the three week tow and cause an environmental disaster. Friends of the Earth is also seeking a judicial review of the UK Environment Agency's decision to extend Able UK's waste management license to take on the scrapping of the vessels, which contain asbestos and PCBs.

Able UK has a modern facility in a 25 acre dry dock on the Tees near Hartlepool which recycles redundant North Sea oil rigs and other large plant.

MJ Information No: 18752