Brownsville firm to scrap aircraft carrier

The United States Navy has awarded a contract to International Shipbreaking Ltd., located in Brownsville, Texas, for the towing, dismantling and recycling of a conventionally powered aircraft carrier that has been removed from the active fleet.

Under the contract, the company will be paid $3 million for dismantling and recycling the decommissioned aircraft carrier named the USS Constellation. The price reflects the net price proposed by International Shipbreaking, which takes into consideration the estimated proceeds from the sale of the scrap metal to be generated from dismantling.

The Navy will continue to own the ship during the dismantling process. The U.S Navy says the contractor takes ownership of the scrap metal as it is produced and sells the scrap to offset its costs of operations.

This is the third recent contract for a conventional aircraft carrier dismantling project that the U.S. Navy has awarded. All Star Metals of Brownsville was awarded the first contract on Oct. 22, 2013, which included the towing and dismantling of ex-USS Forrestal. ESCO Marine of Brownsville was awarded the second contract on May 8, 2014, for the scrapping of the ex-USS Saratoga.

After the initial award of one carrier to each successful bidder, the Navy says it has the capability of scrapping additional conventionally powered aircraft carriers over a five-year period under delivery orders competed between the three contractors.

International Shipbreaking will develop its final tow plan for the Navy’s approval for the transportation of vessel from its current berth at Naval Base Kitsap, Washington, to the company’s facility in Brownsville. The ship is expected to depart Kitsap later in the summer of 2014.