Recycling Navy ships on Gulf Coast

The UK-based global metal recycling firm EMR, with subsidiaries across the Gulf Coast, has towed a fifth vessel – the decommissioned Ticonderoga class cruiser, USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51) - from a fleet of six U.S. Navy vessels, into one of its Louisiana ship-breaking facilities, Southern Recycling. The ship was decommissioned on Dec. 14, 2005, and has been moored in Philadelphia until it was towed to New Orleans for scrapping in July 2017. EMR facilities have taken delivery of previous Navy ships, including USS Forrest Sherman (DD 931), USS George Philip (FFG 12) and USS Jarrett (FFG 33). The contract was awarded to EMR by the Defense Logistics Agency. There are 17 EMR-affiliated recycling centers across Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi. (Source: Recycling Today 08/22/17)