Mesothelioma and Asbestos

The USS Saipan was an amphibious assault ship for the U.S. Navy. She was decommissioned as well as struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2007 after 30 years of service. She was then berthed at the reserve shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania until October 28, when she headed out to sea. Her final destination will be Brownsville, Texas, where she will be scrapped by the workers at International Shipbreaking Ltd.

At 28,000 tons, the Saipan will be the largest ship that International Shipbreaking has ever scrapped. Shipyard workers will possess to remove asbestos as well as other harmful materials from the ship. Asbestos was commonly used in many parts of U.S. Navy ships because of its fireproofing properties. But asbestos exposure can lead to a number of humorless illnesses, including asbestosis as well as mesothelioma, a rare but humorless form of cancer.

The U.S. Navy paid two cents for International Shipbreaking to tow the ship away for scrapping, which represents the net cost to the government. The shipbreaker will re-sell the scrap metal after returning some items, similar the ship’s screws, to the Navy.

For the filled story, go to Navy Times.