BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The first of two ships scheduled to remove the ABC Recycling metal scrap pile arrived at the Port of Bellingham Thursday afternoon.

ABC Recycling is allowed two ships to remove the scrap pile that stands at an estimated three stories.

ABC’s spokesperson Riley Sweeney said in an email that the ship called the Ken Spirit will take 27,000 metric tons of iron and steel to smelters in Bangladesh. He adds that the loading will take seven to 10 business days.

This comes less than two weeks after the Port of Bellingham voted to end their 25-year lease with the Canadian metal recycling company that took up residence at the port only a year and a half ago.

The Port is requiring all scrap metal to be removed from the Port by June 30 of this year, with full vacancy of the ABC site by Sept. 21.