Vote against 'ghost fleet'
Councillors in Hartlepool have voted against allowing the controversial so-called "ghost ships" heading for the town to be broken up.
The four former US Navy ships laden with toxic chemicals are coming to Britain to be dismantled at the Able UK facility in the town but concerns about the vessels have been raised by environmental groups.
At the meeting today councillors discussed a motion calling on the Secretary of State for Transport to use his powers to order the fleet back to the United States.
Last night, Hartlepool MP and former Labour Cabinet minister Peter Mandelson said Able UK's facility was chosen because of its high standards of environmental and employee safety.
The deal to bring 13 US ships to Hartlepool for recycling was originally approved by the Environment Agency but then blocked last week because of a planning wrangle.
The agency said it was concerned planning and environmental requirements for the dry dock dismantling had not been met.
Four of the 13 vessels in the so-called "ghost fleet" set off from the James River, Virginia, and are due to arrive by the middle of this month after a 4,000-mile trans-Atlantic journey.
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