布希政府計畫將9艘前海軍艦隊「艦魂」（Ghost Fleet）從維吉尼亞州占姆士河運送到英國堤斯德（Teesside, England）銷毀，不過，根據英國回收船商愛柏（Able UK）指出，這個計畫最終還是破局。
2003年首度阻擋英美這項協議的美國環保團體，稱讚這項計畫終止是美國回收業者一大勝利，同時是國家對環保責任與自行管理毒廢物的提升。
2003年10月，地球正義（Earthjustice）代表巴賽爾行動網（the Basel Action Network）和山巒協會俱樂部（the Sierra Club）控告美國環保署及商務部海運管理署（Maritime Administration），不讓美國將遭到污染的棄用海軍艦艇運送到國外摧毀。
美國華府法官判定4艘艦艇可橫越大西洋，因為這些船艦的出口品是由國會所管轄，但是禁止剩餘9艘離開美國，直到美國商務部海運管理署完成環境衝擊評估，獲得輸出有毒多氯聯苯化合物（PCBs）的適當授權，並保證英國方面具有足夠拆除設備，才可運輸出去。
2007年5月，美國商務部海運管理署決定終止該協定，因為愛柏無法在英國當地取得許可，以繼續他們的拆除工作。
地球正義的華格那（Martin Wagner）說明︰「對環保和美國勞工而言，這個協定的失敗是好消息。美國製造的廢毒物，美國有責任自己處理。當我們可以在美國境內處置這些廢棄物同時創造工作機會時，為什麼要把我們的垃圾棄置在別的國家呢？」
仍在維州的9艘艦艇預計會針對美國國內回收船商進行拍賣。目前不清楚已運到英國的4艘生鏽艦艇會如何處理，它們含載許多噸致癌物質，還有其他有毒物，如多氯聯苯化合物、石綿、汞和二手燃料污染的材料。
The Bush administration's plan to export nine ex-naval "Ghost Fleet" vessels from the James River in Virginia to Teesside, England for scrapping has itself been finally scrapped, according to British ship-breaker Able UK.
American environmental groups responsible for first blocking the deal in 2003 applauded its end as a victory for American recyclers, and for national environmental responsibility and self-sufficiency in toxic waste management.
In October 2003, the Basel Action Network and the Sierra Club, represented by Earthjustice, sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Maritime Administration, MARAD, to prevent the resumption of U.S. exports of contaminated decommissioned naval.
The U.S. District Court in Washington, DC ruled that four vessels could cross the Atlantic as their export was mandated by Congress, but prohibited the departure of the remaining nine until MARAD completed an Environmental Impact Assessment, obtained proper authorization to export toxic PCBs, and ensured the existence of an adequate dismantling facility in the UK.
Now, after three and a half years, MARAD has decided to annul the contract because the intended ship-breaker, Able UK, has been unable to obtain the permits required to conduct its business in Teesside, England.
"The death of this contract is good news for the environment and for American workers," said Martin Wagner of Earthjustice. "The management of U.S. toxic waste is a U.S. responsibility. Why dump our trash in other countries when we can take care of it here and create new jobs at the same time?"
It is expected that the nine ships in the James River will now be put up to bid for domestic ship recyclers. It is unclear what will happen to four U.S. ships that sit rusting in Teesside. The vessels contain tons of materials contaminated with carcinogenic and toxic substances such as PCBs, asbestos, mercury, and used fuel.
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