Syrian Chemical Weapons To Be Destroyed On US Ship

Syrian Chemical Weapons To Be Destroyed On US Ship

Syrian chemical weapons are set to be destroyed on the MV Cape Ray, a specially-equipped naval ship from the US, according to Pentagon officials.

Colonel Steven Warren said the naval ship left Norfolk, Virginia on Monday and is set to reach Gioia Tauro in Italy within three-weeks-time. The ground-breaking mission follows the US-Russia agreement to eliminate the dangerous chemical arsenal of Syria.

The agreement was completed to forestall US missile strikes against Syria following a chemical attack that was blamed on the regime. The deal will require the entire chemical arsenal of Syria to be destroyed by June 30.

The MV Cape Ray features a pair of portable hydrolysis systems that can neutralize chemical agents. A letter sent by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel informed Captain Rick Jordan and the crew that they are set to accomplish a historic mission in destroying among the largest chemical weapon stockpile in the world.

The ship has a total of 135 crew members, including the 63 personnel who will take charge of the hydrolysis systems.

Heated water and chemicals will be mixed inside the hydrolysis machines in order to break down the lethal components of the chemical weapons. It will produce sludge similar to industrial toxic waste.

The entire operation will take place at sea since no country has indicated willingness to host the operation in the destruction of the Syrian chemical weapons. The MV Cape Ray will load the chemicals at port and bring them to an unidentified location to be destroyed.

The Pentagon indicated that the operation will not result to destruction in the environment. The byproducts of hydrolysis will not be released into the air or sea.

The chemical agents are the deadliest in the weapon arsenal of Syria, which include mustard gas and components for VX and sarin. The Pentagon revealed the operation in destroying the Syrian chemical weapons can take as long as ninety days.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday January 29 2014, 2:44 AM EST. Ref: News. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0