THE boss of Able UK last night attacked reports that decommissioned US Navy vessels moored in the region could be towed north and scrapped in Scotland instead.

Able, which operates a breakers yard in Hartlepool, has confirmed it is bidding to buy the Nigg shipyard, on the Cromarty Firth, which has one of the largest dry docks in Europe.

Chairman and chief executive Peter Stephenson said reports that Able could use the yard as an alternative location to scrap the vessels, part of the so-called Ghost Fleet, were "unjustified scaremongering".

Four ships, forming part of an £11m deal with the US Maritime Administration, are moored at the company's Hartlepool recycling facility, but Able has yet to gain planning permission to dismantle them.

Mr Stephenson said it was primarily interested in the Nigg yard as a "multi-user facility", undertaking a wide range of port-related activities, but with also the intention of developing the yard to provide facilities for the renewable energy industry.

He said: "I do think it is unfortunate if, at this early stage, before we even know whether we have been successful in our bid, there is unjustified scaremongering and speculation.

"The reality is that currently there is no planning permission for recycling at Nigg, so it is nonsense to suggest that we are interested in acquiring it for that purpose-and, in fact, any proposals for the expansion of activities there would require all the appropriate planning permissions and environmental assessments."

Mr Stephenson again gave assurances that the vessels were not toxic and that they contained no greater level of hazardous materials than any other ships of their age.

He said Able remained confident its plans to scrap the fleet in Hartlepool would eventually receive the go-ahead.