A heavylift vessel at the centre of a year-long Norwegian criminal investigation for the illegal export of waste has caused environmental pollution off the coast of Turkey as it went for demolition under strict European Union waste rules.
The 38,282-dwt barge carrier Harrier (built 1989) arrived on the beaches of Aliaga, Turkey, on 25 August for demolition under the supervision of Norwegian waste management company Norske Gjenvinning.
However, a spill was spotted around 20 nautical miles (37 kilometres) out from the demolition site, which has been attributed to the Harrier. The vessel has now been arrested and its planned dismantling postponed.
There is no suggestion that the recycling yard — Sok Denizcilik — is at fault for the pollution, which happened as the vessel was heading for the demolition site.
Sok is one of Turkey's premier dismantling yards and has been breaking up ships for Maersk Line and Hapag-Lloyd.
Raise eyebrows
However, the fact a vessel that was supposed to be demolished under strict environmental and safety rules still managed to cause pollution will cause concern.
A clean-up operation is now underway.
It is unclear at this stage which party is the seller and how much has been paid by the yard for the demolition job.
The original owner of the Harrier was Eide Group head Georg Eide, who sold the vessel under its then name Eide Carrier to Julia Shipping in April 2017.
Norway’s National Authority for the Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Okokrim) is now probing the sale as an attempt by the Eide Group to avert national and European laws on the disposal of hazardous waste. Georg Eide denies any wrongdoing.
The vessel broke down after departing Norway, where it had been in an extended lay-up, and documents were found onboard that indicated the ship was heading for demolition in Pakistan.
Under investigation
Also under investigation are final-voyage insurance provider Skuld, demolition broker Wirana Shipping and technical company Aqualis Offshore.
EU laws require ships departing the region for demolition to be dismantled in line with the Basel Convention and in an OECD member country, which Turkey is.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform founder Ingvild Jenssen said owners looking to sell for demolition on the beaching yards of South Asia should be wary following the successful prosecution of a demolition sale involving SeaTrade vessels in the Netherlands last year and now the ongoing criminal investigation into the Harrier.
She also pointed to comments made by Norwegian Environment Agency director Ellen Hambro, who indicated that owners should only use facilities that have been approved by the EU.
We support the statements made by the Norwegian authorities and call also upon other stakeholders in shipping, such as insurers and financiers, to play their part in putting an end to the dirty and dangerous practice of beaching
“We support the statements made by the Norwegian authorities and call also upon other stakeholders in shipping, such as insurers and financiers, to play their part in putting an end to the dirty and dangerous practice of beaching," she said. "Safer and cleaner alternatives exist and shipowners must be pushed towards using these facilities."
Case seen as significant
The prosecution of the Harrier sale is seen as significant because, for the first time, it brings service providers into the scope of the investigation for the illegal export of waste.
The EU is currently drawing up a list of approved yards to demolish European-controlled vessels.
However, as TradeWinds recently reported, it has not ruled out including South Asian beaching yards in the list at this stage.
It has authorised site inspections of Shree Ram Vessel Scrap and Priya Blue Industries in India, and is also considering applications from two other yards there.
The moves come as efforts to bring into force an international regulation governing shiprecycling gather pace. TradeWinds understands the Netherlands, Germany, Estonia and Italy have all begun the process to ratify the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships.
