In the middle of the James River, straight off shore from my subdivision and FortEustis, lives a fleet of anchored abandoned ships. Known locally and nationally as “The Ghost Fleet”these ships were once part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). They were to be used in case of national emergency. In the post-WWII era, there were hundreds of ships. What used to be an impressive fleet of 120 ships has now dwindled to just 30, but why? As these ships have not been in use for over 40 years, they have begun to corrode and decay, causing great environmental damage to the James River. They have been referred to as “ticking time bombs” as they sit huddled together, adding more pollution to the water each and every day, including lead, asbestos, and potential for oil and chemical leaks. These concerns were brought forth in 2001.
Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis was key in landing $20 million in funding for the removal of these ships. Since 2001, more than 75% of the ships have been removed from the Ghost Fleet and dismantled, both locally and internationally, but this has not been an easy process. Determining what to do with the ships, where to take them, and how to get them there is an extensive task. “Federal lawrequires that the hulls be clean of invasive species prior to ship removal, and hull cleaning also often translates into the removal of hazardous paints from the hulls”. Because hull cleaning can be a potentially hazardous activity due to paint removal, permission had to be obtained by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to do so.
Many of the ships are sold for scrap metal or recycled. They are being sent to countries who, for the most part, want nothing to do with them. An original plan was to export them to Third World countries, where the citizens wouldn’t have the power to say no. This act was banned by the Clinton Administration. Several years ago, 13 of the ships were transported from Virginia to North East England. They were to be dry docked in Teeside where they would be dismantled, scrapped and buried, but due to the US’s failure to clean them up appropriately, the UK refusedto accept a number of the highly toxic vessels.
As we all know, it is very difficult to clean up and/or dispose of toxic materials. This has been the greatest challenge in dealing with the Ghost Fleet. It is costly and nearly impossible to clean them up while in the middle of the river without causing further pollution to the river, but no one will accept them until they have been appropriately cleaned. Slowly the ghost fleet I being taken care of as ship by ship disappears and is dismantled. But due to the fact that each ship costs about $750,000 to clean up and dismantle, it has been a long, drawn out process. Many environmentalists are concerned that by the time the last ship has been removed, damage and pollution caused to the river will be irreversible.
You can find a picture of a small portion of the Ghost Fleet here.
The James Rive Ghost Fleet, and other "mothball" fleets like it anchored in US waters, clearly pose an environmental threat to the various bays and inlets that they are anchored in. However, I believe that there is an aspect of these rusty old ships that we are overlooking: their service records. Many of the vessels that make up the ghost fleet have seen action in every major conflict from World War II to Vietnam, and we must proceed with caution to ensure that we don't accidentally destroy a valuable piece of maritime history. Take for example the story of the USS Gage, an attack transport ship launched in 1944. The Gage served with distinction in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. It saw action in Guadalcanal, Okinawa, the Philippines and New Guinea, earning a battle star for service. It has been part of the James River Ghost Fleet since 1947. In 2001, because of the danger that the mothball fleet posed to the ecological and economic health of the James River and nearby Jamestown, the Maritime Administration decided to speed up the removal and destruction of the ships. In 2009 the Gage was selected to be sold for scrap due to the large amounts of lead and asbestos that the ship contained. Despite a frantic effort to save it as a museum ship the USS Gage, a decorated war veteran and the last ship of her kind, was sold for scrap and subsequently destroyed. Now I am not advocating that the ships be left alone; the hazardous materials that they contain are a serious environmental problem, and they must be dealt with. However, like any other environmental issue, there is much that we must consider when trying to find a solution. When resolving the issue posed by the James River Ghost Fleet we must look to the past as well as to the future, so that the USS Gage's tragic story is not repeated.
The James Rive Ghost Fleet, and other "mothball" fleets like it anchored in US waters, clearly pose an environmental threat to the various bays and inlets that they are anchored in. However, I believe that there is an aspect of these rusty old ships that we are overlooking: their service records. Many of the vessels that make up the ghost fleet have seen action in every major conflict from World War II to Vietnam, and we must proceed with caution to ensure that we don't accidentally destroy a valuable piece of maritime history. Take for example the story of the USS Gage, an attack transport ship launched in 1944. The Gage served with distinction in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. It saw action in Guadalcanal, Okinawa, the Philippines and New Guinea, earning a battle star for service. It has been part of the James River Ghost Fleet since 1947. In 2001, because of the danger that the mothball fleet posed to the ecological and economic health of the James River and nearby Jamestown, the Maritime Administration decided to speed up the removal and destruction of the ships. In 2009 the Gage was selected to be sold for scrap due to the large amounts of lead and asbestos that the ship contained. Despite a frantic effort to save it as a museum ship the USS Gage, a decorated war veteran and the last ship of her kind, was sold for scrap and subsequently destroyed. Now I am not advocating that the ships be left alone; the hazardous materials that they contain are a serious environmental problem, and they must be dealt with. However, like any other environmental issue, there is much that we must consider when trying to find a solution. When resolving the issue posed by the James River Ghost Fleet we must look to the past as well as to the future, so that the USS Gage's tragic story is not repeated.
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