DERELICT AND ABANDONED VESSELS: A UNIQUE STATE APPROACH TO PREVENTION AND REMOVAL

Abstract

ABSTRACT # 2017-408The Texas General Land Office (TGLO) has developed an innovative and cost effective approach to dispose of abandoned vessels along the Texas coast. For years, unscrupulous vessel owners have removed serial numbers and registration information from primarily fiberglass boats and cast them adrift in remote or isolated areas along the Texas coast. Weather incidents have also contributed to hundreds of abandoned vessels in or near Texas waters. These vessels, which often still have fuel and lubricants on board, present a threat to the environment, navigation and public safety. Unfortunately, budget constraints, jurisdictional boundaries, and regulations prevent the local, state and federal agencies that have an interest in removing these vessels from taking action. The TGLO strategy is designed to help rid coastal areas of abandoned vessels before they enter coastal water. The Vessel Turn-In Program, known as VTIP, promotes partnerships by pooling the unique funding, capital and human resources of government entities and stakeholders to form a cost effective approach to eliminating abandoned vessels and the pollution they create.