MarAd sells two cargo ships for scrapping

MarAd sells two cargo ships for scrapping    The U.S. Maritime Administration has sold two obsolete cargo ships tied up in Beaumont, Texas, to a New Orleans-based scrap company.
   Southern Scrap Material Co. bought the two vessels, “Allison Lykes” and “Mallory Lykes,” from the agency for $50,000 apiece. The vessels are scheduled to leave Beaumont for New Orleans the last week in June.
   “All of us are looking forward to getting back to a pre-(Hurricane) Katrina business atmosphere,” said Joel Dupre, president of Southern Scrap, in a statement. “We expect the federal vessels we buy to help us achieve that goal.”
   MarAd maintains three National Defense Reserve Fleet sites, holding a reserve of ships for defense and national emergencies. When ships are no longer considered useful for defense or aid mission, the agency arranges for their disposal.