Toxic ship too dirty for India docks in UK

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London: Four years after it wasn't allowed to be broken up in India, a French ship, containing 700 tonnes of ‘toxic’ materials, has docked in Britain where it will soon be dismantled.

Once the pride of the French Fleet, Clemenceau – 738 ft long and 213 ft high -- completed its journey from Brest in France to join the ranks of "ghost ships" docked at Able UK's Seaton Port facility on the Tees.

When the ship sailed for India in 2005, it prompted an environmental storm which compelled it to return to France.

This time, however, it won the approval of some of the best known environmental organisations, 'The Times' reported.

"It's better than being sent to the beaches of Alang in India," said Ingvild Jenssen, of Platform on Shipbuilding, a European NGO coalition supported by Greenpeace that's trying to force improvements in the shipbreaking industry.

According to the company that has won the contract to dismantle the former warship, Able UK, the 32,780-tonne vessel will be the largest ship to be recycled in Europe and would bring jobs to the area.

"This is a very important day for both ourselves, our French partners and the ship recycling industry because it underlines the growing recognition of the need for high quality facilities to meet the increasing demand for responsible ship recycling,” Chief Executive Peter Stephenson said.