Ships tossed ashore by tsunami get rescued (JAPAN)

[AsahinaKimi]

KESENNUMA, Japan – More than a dozen ships heaved inland by Japan's tsunami in March sit with red bellies and propellers exposed among the demolished houses of this once-bustling fishing town, a jarring daily reminder of the ocean's awesome power.

The enormous task and cost of moving these out-of-place vessels — and the debris around them — has kept them stranded in Kesennuma for over three months. Many have been propped up with metal beams so they won't topple over.

Determined to recover, the town has now begun the Herculean job of returning some of the beached ships to the sea. Several ship owners banded together to jointly negotiate a cost with a logistics company to move five of the vessels in a deal that insurers have agreed to cover.

Even after the group rate, the amount per ship is more than $1 million.

But putting these vessel back into action is crucial to restarting Kesennuma's fish markets and restoring the community's economy and confidence.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110617/ap_on_bi_ge/as_japan_tsunami_stranded_ships

video
http://newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/article/90353.php

[customerserviceguy]

1. When I saw the photos of the beached ships

I figured it would be a massive engineering feat to do anything with them, even to tear them apart for scrap.

[hootinholler]

2. It's good to hear that some are still seaworthy

I had assumed they would be cut for scrap.

-Hoot