Clemenceau arrives at Able UK’s scrapping facility

Archiv – United Kingdom | The infamous French aircraft carrier ’Clemenceau’, which was considered too toxic to be broken up in India, has arrived in the UK for scrapping. Hartlepool-based Able UK says the project to dismantle the 32 700-tonne vessel is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.United Kingdom | The infamous French aircraft carrier ’Clemenceau’, which was considered too toxic to be broken up in India, has arrived in the UK for scrapping. Hartlepool-based Able UK says the project to dismantle the 32 700-tonne vessel is one of the largest of its kind in Europe.
Recycling of the 780-foot (238-metre) carrier is due to commence in the second quarter of the year and will create an additional 200 jobs. This work will take place alongside existing contracts to scrap four former US naval vessels – dubbed Ghost Ships – which arrived at Able UK’s facility in 2004.
Launched in 1957, the ’Clemenceau’ sailed more than a million nautical miles before being decommissioned in 1997. Thought to contain some 700 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated material, it was recalled to France from India in 2006 amid concerns over its toxic content. The vessel was sitting in Brest harbour in France prior to its journey to north-east England.