An Idan Ofer-controlled boxship helped take a cargo of illegal waste that had been lying in the Philippines for six years back to Canada.
The 4,253-teu Bavaria (built 2003), operated by Eastern Pacific Shipping (EPS), transported the rubbish to Taiwan, where it was transhipped for a voyage back to Vancouver in 69 containers, The Guardian reported.
The Philippines says the 1,500 tonnes of waste were dumped illegally.
The two countries have been locked in a dispute ever since the shipments arrived in 2013 and 2014.
A spokesperson for Eastern Pacific: "Our managed containership, Bavaria, which is currently chartered out to Maersk, was involved in repatriating waste cargo from the Phillipines to Canada for processing.
"EPS is committed to upholding the highest standards of health, safety, and environmental protection and will always act when called upon to help do the right thing.”
Wilma Eisma, administrator of Subic Bay freeport, confirmed that the 69 containers of garbage had been loaded on to Bavaria.
She said the the move ended a “sordid chapter in our history”.
Environmental activists, including those from Greenpeace and EcoWaste Coalition, took to the sea in Subic Bay on a small boat with a banner that said: “Philippines: not a garbage dumping ground!”.
Foreign secretary Teodoro Locsin posted on Twitter: “Baaaaaaaaa bye, as we say it.”
Canada’s environment minister Catherine McKenna told reporters: “We committed with the Philippines and we’re working closely with them.”
The containers had been brought in as falsely declared recyclable plastic.
But they contained electrical and rotting household waste.
The Philippines won a legal case in 2018 ordering Canada to take responsibility for the rubbish.
It was reported last week that France's Bollore group had won a contract to return it all.
Malaysia is also looking to send waste back to western countries.
