1 research outputs found
A Method for siting and prioritizing the removal of derelict vessels in Florida Coastal Waters: test applications in the Florida Keys
Increased boating activities and new waterfront developments have contributed an
estimated 3,000 dismantled, abandoned, junked, wrecked, derelict vessels to Florida
coastal waters. This report outlines a method of siting and prioritizing derelict vessel
removal using the Florida Keys as a test area. The data base was information on 240
vessels, obtained from Florida Marine Patrol files. Vessel location was plotted on 1:250,000
regional and 1:5,000 and 1:12,000 site maps. Type of vessel, length, hull material, engine,
fuel tanks, overall condition, afloat and submerged characteristics, and accessibility, were
used to derive parametric site indices of removal priority and removal difficulty.
Results indicate 59 top priority cases which should be the focus of immediate clean
up efforts in the Florida Keys. Half of these cases are rated low to moderate in removal
difficulty; the remainder are difficult to remove. Removal difficulty is a surrogate for
removal cost: low difficulty -low cost, high difficulty - high cost. The rating scheme offers
coastal planners options of focusing removal operations either on (1) specific areas with
clusters of high priority derelict vessels or on (2) selected targeted derelicts at various,
specific locations. (PDF has 59 pages.