Allied Defense Recycling to demolish 8,000 ton cargo ship Solon Turman

CALIFORNIA (Scrap Monster): Allied Defense Recycling will demolish the 8,000-ton cargo ship Solon Turman, one of the biggest vessels. The recycling company won the job with a bid of $1.5 million.

According to the company officials $1.5 million will barely cover the expense of the work. The sale of the scrap metal to recyclers is where the company aims for its profit. At $325 a ton, that can mean a pile of money.

The ship is full of PCPs, asbestos and liquid loads contaminated water and diesel. The government contract pays for the disposal, environmental oversight, permitting and towing.

The demolition process is no less demanding. Engineers examine the ship for gases trapped in compartments, marking hazardous areas. That takes about 10 days. An abatement crew then makes the ship safe, which requires another 60 days.

The chunks of metal, some weighing more than 25 tons, will be removed with cranes and cut into pieces that will fit on trucks, railroad cars or barges.

From start to finish, the job can take as long as nine months. That is the deadline by which demolition must be completed, according to Allied's contract with the Maritime Administration, contracostatimes.com reported.