Ahern claims inability to stop contaminated ships’ passage

THE Government claimed yesterday it was powerless to halt a fleet of toxic ghost ships from the USA passing by the Irish coast en route to a scrapyard in Britain.

Amid warnings that the Irish coast was highly vulnerable, if any accident occurred involving the four US vessels, Minister for the Marine Dermot Ahern said the coastguard was liaising with the British and US authorities.

Despite the British Environment Agency withdrawal of approval for the dismantling of 13 rusting toxic vessels at its yard in Hartlepool, Cleveland, in England, the first four ships are still on the way.

The vessels, travelling from the James River, Virginia, are contaminated with chemicals including Polychlorinated Biphenyls, asbestos and heavy diesel.

Green Party leader Trevor Sargent said the transport of the ships is in breach of the law and the coastline is defenceless if anything goes wrong. “We are totally reliant on others to come to our rescue,” he said.

A spokesman for Mr Ahern said the vessels will not be entering Irish waters and the nearest point the ships will come to the coast is around 250 miles.

“This leaves them outside both our pollution control operations and search and rescue operations, so, in such instances, they are the responsibility of other States’ emergency services. Under international maritime law, the Government does not have any powers to prevent their passage.”

According to Mr Sargent, the unobstructed passage of the vessels sets a dangerous precedent for the future. Referring to the revoking of the licence, he said the tugs pulling the ships could be refuelled and sent back to the US with the vessels.

Under US law, it is illegal to export PCB chemicals, but the ships contain 350 tonnes of the substance.

Mr Sargent said he would raise his concerns with newly appointed US Ambassador to Ireland James Kenny at a meeting at the Ambassador’s residence in the Phoenix Park.

But a US Embassy spokesperson said Mr Sargent did not have a meeting with Ambassador Kenny and was merely on the guest list for a welcome reception to mark the Ambassador’s appointment.