Swingman wrote:

It might well be ... seems as if I recall something about shipboard
plywood
mills, in International waters, that use timber from N America and
sell it
right back here.

... or maybe I only dreamed it?

Sounds like a classic urban legend to me.

The cost of maintaining a floating manufacturing platform would far
out weigh any benefits.

The cost of just generating enough power to operate would make the
operation marginal.

Fishing fleets often have processing ships at sea with the fleet, but
that is a different game since you are dealing with a perishable
product along with waste that is compatible with the sea.

Additionally, when the ship is full, they go back to port.

Just my $0.02.

Lew



Lew