A NORTH-EAST firm could face another legal hurdle in its bid to scrap a so-called ghost fleet, it emerged last night.

Able UK could fall foul of regulations that require firms shipping waste into the country to dispose of it within a specified period.

Under waste shipment regulations, material brought into the UK has to be dismantled and recovered - effectively recycled - within 180 days.

The Hartlepool company has faced a number of delays in attempting to dispose of a 13-strong former US Navy fleet containing lead, asbestos and other potentially dangerous chemicals.

The first of four ships in the fleet arrived at Able's Graythorp base on November 12, last year, which means the 180-day deadline will expire next month.

Last night, the Environment Agency confirmed that under the letter of the law it could take action - although sources suggested Able was likely to be given some leeway.

A spokeswoman would only say: "We have got an enforcement and protection policy and will be deciding on what action to take."

Able is yet to receive the necessary permissions to scrap the fleet, although an application for a waste management licence was expected in the next month or so, the spokeswoman added.

Meanwhile, it was unclear last night whether a hearing to determine the future of the remaining nine ships still moored in the US would go ahead this month.

Environmental groups the Basel Action Network and the Sierra Club won an injunction preventing the nine from being towed from their base in Virginia across the Atlantic.

A US court was due to reconvene in Washington this month to consider whether the injunction may be lifted, but unconfirmed reports suggested it could be pushed back two or three months.

The position of the remaining fleet is further complicated by the fact that there is a thought to be a relatively limited weather window in which "fragile" vessels can be towed across the Atlantic, which began at the start of April.

Mike Childs, campaigns director at Friends of the Earth, repeated previous demands that the Government clarified its position over Able's plans.