Dutch heavylift firm Jumbo and two of its directors have been fined by a Rotterdam court in connection with selling two vessels for demolition in breach of notification procedures under the European Waste Shipment Regulation.
Jumbo has been fined €25,000 ($28,000), and the two directors were fined €2,500 each, for violations related to the demolition sales to a Turkish yard that date back to 2014 and 2015.
The Dutch court ruled Jumbo had failed to submit notification documents guaranteeing informed consent for the cross-border movement of end-of-life vessels, which are considered hazardous waste under European Union and international law.
The demolition sale involved the 4,962-gt Jumbo Spirit (built 1995) and 5,818-gt Daniella (built 1989).
The European Waste Shipment Regulation prohibits the sale of ships for demolition from EU member states to countries outside of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
As the vessels were located outside of European waters when they were sold for demolition, the fine relates to a failure to notify the authorities rather than the sale itself.
Jumbo has been contacted for comment.
It has previously denied the allegations brought by the Dutch public prosecutor, claiming it had demolished the ships at a well-regarded Turkish facility.
It is not clear if the ruling will be appealed.
Shipbreaking lobby group NGO Shipbreaking Platform welcomed the ruling but said it highlighted problems with the regulation.
“This particular case, however, sadly showcases how easily shipowners can avoid being held accountable by simply moving the vessel outside EU waters prior to selling for scrap,” NGO Shipbreaking Platform executive director Ingvild Jenssen said.
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform is calling for a review of the EU law applicable to end-of-life vessels. It wants to ensure that shipowners are held accountable in their own jurisdictions.
“Dirty and dangerous shipbreaking is a serious environmental crime, and enforcement authorities must be given the means to effectively stop illicit practices of EU-domiciled companies,” Jenssen said.
There has been a clampdown on the enforcement of waste export regulations in Europe.
In 2020, Eide Marine owner Georg Eide was sentenced to six months in prison by a Norwegian court for selling the 38,200-dwt barge carrier Harrier (ex-Eide Carrier, built 1989) for demolition in Pakistan.
