Shipping rides out the downturn in a Tees parking lot
TEESPORT has become a parking lot for some of the biggest container ships on the seas as the economic downturn slows world trade.
The ships have been given a temporary berth at Able UK’s Middlesbrough Port Facility where the 23,000 tonnes vessel Cala Portofino is already moored and is expected to be joined on Friday by sister ship the Cala Positano, currently en route from Brazil.
Operated by Costa Container Lines, the two ships, which are each 185 metres long, will be clearly visible from Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
Neil Etherington, group development director at Able UK - the company behind the dismantling of the controversial ghost ships, said: “We have the space and the ability to park up two vessels of this size - so we’re taking advantage of this opportunity.”
He said the operator of the vessels was waiting for markets to improve before moving them on.
“We’d expect the vessels to be here for the foreseeable future - well into 2009,” Mr Etherington added.
But they would not disrupt Able’s principle business.
“Even with the arrival of both vessels we still have a small amount of extra capacity here at the yard.”
Able UK chairman and chief executive Peter Stephenson added: “With a 1,000m deepwater quay our Middlesbrough facility is ideal for providing berthing facilities which are likely to be very much in demand during the current slowdown in international trade and shipping activities.”
Able UK has been given the go ahead to dismantle vessels on the Tees - including the American ghost ships.
Last month, the green light was also given for French aircraft carrier the Clemenceau to sail to Teesside to be scrapped by the firm in a contract worth several millions.
