Coffer dam completed at Able port.

ABLE UK has completed work on a 53,000-tonne dam needed to create dry dock facilities for the dismantling of vessels including the American "Ghost Ships".

The coffer dam enables the draining of the main basin area needed for dismantling British, American and French vessels berthed at Able Seaton Port. The work on the dry dock has continued alongside "remediation" work on those vessels, notably the removal of asbestos.

The news come as Able's reputation for providing a temporary "home" for offshore drilling rigs continues to grow. The last few days have seen the departure of the 6,370-tonnes ENSCO 72 jack-up rig which is returning to work after undergoing routine maintenance work whilst berthed at Able Seaton Port since the end of June. Work is also currently underway on two more rigs operated by Ensco Offshore UK with two more -another Ensco rig together with Transocean''s Britannia rig - set to arrive later this month.

Able UK group development director, Neil Etherington, said: "We have always believed that Able Seaton Port could be developed as a world-class centre for a wide range of marine and renewable energy activities - and this latest development demonstrates that fact."

Work is also continuing on other major contracts, including the recycling of the BP North West Hutton platform, the largest structure to be removed from the North Sea.

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MAINTENANCE WORK: One of the Ensco rigs berthed at Able Seaton Port