So how much scrap has Titan Salvage sliced from the ever-shrinking stern? About 1,050 tons. Just a little bit of steel.

That includes a huge 170-ton chunk of long-dead engine rigged, cut and lifted off the wreck on Saturday.

The Carissa, oddly enough, has gotten bigger as it’s gotten smaller. As the poundage of scrap metal approaches what was estimated to be left of the wood chip ship, the crew has realized there was much more of the New Carissa left in the watery, temporary grave off the North Spit than anticipated.

The estimate now runs closer to 1,700 tons, rather than the 1,100 or so Titan was expecting

“No big deal,” Parrot said.  “It’s just that it’s there and we have to deal with it.”

Hmmm... 600 tons, no big deal? Well maybe not after already slicing away 1,050 tons.

The ship’s final journey destination is Eugene — by truck, not sea — where the scrap will be recycled at Pacific Recycling Inc. The facility is taking the hulking, stinking, rusting pieces off Titan’s hands and paying the salvage company for the privilege.

The first 400 tons will go for about $325 per ton. The price of scrap metal has gone down since the job started, so Titan Managing Director David Parrot isn’t sure what the rest will catch. The rate of return on scrap metal isn’t Titan’s biggest interest in the project, but, “It’s nice to have,” Parrot said.

It all depends on price. Today it is at $160 per ton. If it stays at that price, and Parrot is right about there being around 1,700 tons total, the pile of rust and steel could net more than $330,000.

Titan’s contract with the state is for $16.4 million. Combined with the scrap recycling, Titan will get $16.7 million for the removal.

Titan barged into town in late March to prepare for the project. Salvors and barges likely will be here through the end of this month.