tale of two carriers

on 22 october 2013 the US Naval Sea Systems Command announced sale of
aircraft carrier USS Forrestal CV-59 to a Brownsville, Tx scrap metal firm for the sum
of $0.01 US dollars

the Forrestal laden displacement was 78,000 short tons

on 12 June 2013 the carrier Ark Royal --22,000 tonne former flagship of the
British Royal Navy was transported to a turkish scrap yard
sale price was 2.9 million pounds sterling

the United States restricts breakup of it's warships offered for scrapping to territorial waters

OSHA manual on shipbreaking must be followed and the process completed within 24 months
federal monitors are on the scene to observe handling of asbestos and pcbs--etc

if the US offered global nations scrap access sale price for Forrestal class vessels would
likely fall in 7 to 9 million usd range

public protest at the one penny purchase could easily scuttle the Forrestal sale

use as a submerged reef--like the Oriskany-- should qualify as a greater public good

jh

pics2------------------------------------------------------------------

With those rules I'm amazed they didn't have to pay somebody to take it.

You can also argue that selling it abroad to be broken up in a way that dumps PCBs and asbestos into the environment isn't a good thing either.

Making a profit after scraping task may be a difficult thing, even getting the hulk for free.

Need to compare apples to apples.

What is the cost to deliver ship to turkey?

Aprox. 7 mil a day to operate a carrier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerald_R._Ford-class_aircraft_carrier

This is related to some prior bad experiences in which foreign scrappers created unacceptable ocean pollution and a toxic land sites. Nova did a TV special on this which brought worldwide attention. The special also emphasized the death and maiming that occurs due to lack of safety-consciousness.

I work for a large ocean shipping firm which shall remain nameless. When my firms scraps a ship, we make sure it's done in a responsible way.

John Ruth

At least the steel won't be wasted like the ship I was assigned to(USS Samuel Gompers AD 37). It was towed out to DEEP water and sunk. To my thinking it was a waste of processed steel, brass, etc. and the labor of mfg and assembly of the ship. Sunk too deep to be of use as reef or "dive to" site.
I know the ship was stripped of all contaminates such as oils and other "juices" but still seems a waste of materials.
The price of sale is also questionable. The cost of leaving it where it was docked is to be taken in consideration, but it surely was more valuable than 1 cent.

I assume it was put out to bid to qualified USA companies. Thus purchased by an American company employing American workers to be broken up and recycled here in USA in accordance with all OSHA and relevant environmental regulations.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Then; Exactly what is the problem? Even this has to be out sourced? I think ALL our military hardware should be build and un-built right here at home.

At least they didn't give it to the Chinese for a cent, like we did our super heavy presses, steel mills, and other heavy industrial machinery.

Here I am on sister Sara (USS Saratoga CVA 60) some little time back. I expect she will meet a similar fate since the Quonset Point Museum never got anywhere near enough money raised.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v337/johnoder/Career Related/Navy Days/johnny.jpg

I Think they are going to scrap the Battleship Texas soon.
They should have dragged it out and put on the ground under a big barn VS leaving it in that brackish water.

SouthBendModel34 said:

I work for a large ocean shipping firm which shall remain nameless. When my firms scraps a ship, we make sure it's done in a responsible way.

John Ruth

Click to expand...

heh heh is not Carnival Corporation by any chance