THE first warship to be recycled in the UK for more than a decade docked in Liverpool yesterday.
HMS Intrepid, a Royal Navy ship which served in the Falklands, sailed into Canada Graving Dock to begin a five-month dismantling process.
The decommissioned 12,000- tonne vessel will be recycled by Technical Demolition Services, of Birkenhead, and Leavesley Inter- national, after they were chosen by the Ministry of Defence.
More than 50 people will be employed to break-up the ship and recycle 95% of all its material.
The Unite union had raised concerns over the safety of work- ers about safety conditions and asbestos on board, despite the city council and Environment Agency backing its arrival.
Stuart Halsey, project leader and head of business development for Leavesley International, said he hoped Intrepid would be the first of many to be recycled in Liverpool.
"There is no shortage of ships out there waiting to be responsibly dealt with. Their recycling is an inher- ently sustainable activity where more than 95% of the vessel’s material can be reprocessed. We see Leavesley International being a permanent fixture in the Port of Liverpool."
He added: "The dry dock is the right size for such projects, the port has major metal processing operations, it is centrally located and easily accessible by motorway and it has an existing skills base."
Dennis Lee, director of Technical Demolition Services, of Birkenhead, said the River Mersey was the perfect location.
He said: "The Mersey is perfect because its close for us and has a long maritime history. We have taken a lease on the dock and I hope that in future when com- mercial ships come to end of their life, such as the single-skin tankers due to end in 2010, that they end up coming to Liverpool."
The Canada Dock initiative has been prompted by a growing de- mand for the establishment of a high quality facility in the UK as an alternative to the disposal of decommissioned warships in the Far East.
Work will be carried out under strict health, safety and environmental controls.
The ship is one of the first to have a "Green Passport" for recycling which charts exactly what is on board so it can be disposed of safely under proper control.
Following its decommission in 1991 and before it was earmarked for disposal in 1999, the Royal Navy disposed of all the waste on board although small amounts of Asbestos remain within the frame of the ship.
Frank Robotham, marketing director of Peel Ports Group, which owns and operates the Port of Liverpool, said: "The decision by Leavesley to locate this inno- vative recycling contract in the Port of Liverpool grafts another centre of excellence onto an already vibrant maritime sector.
"It not only reflects the capability of the Port to meet the requirements of this industry, but is also indicative of the rich and diverse strengths of the maritime community on Merseyside, backed by a City Council that has been pragmatic, objective and totally professional in its response to this important initiative."
