A barge carrier has been arrested and fined in Aliaga, Turkey, and its planned demolition postponed following a row over of an oil spill off the region’s coast last August.
As TradeWinds reported last year, the 38,282-dwt Harrier (built 1989) was alleged to have caused a spill off the Turkish coast in the Foca area about 32 kilometres (20 miles) south of Aliaga. The incident took place as the ship made its final voyage to shiprecycling yard Sok Denizcilik.
It had already spent two years under arrest in Norway after the maritime authority there uncovered an attempt to demolish the ship in South Asia in breach of European waste shipment regulations.
Clean-up costs
The owner of the vessel is Julia Shipping, which has been associated with cash buyer Wirana. The Harrier was arrested as security against a claim of more than $4m for fines and clean-up costs associated with the spill.
The Turkish government is holding the ship as security and will not release it until the funds have been secured.
It has been suggested that the delay in settlingthe claim is due to the Harrier being without protection and indemnity cover for its final voyage.
Wirana, a Singapore buyer of ships for demolition, is distancing itself from the ownership of the vessel, describing itself as the “commercial manager”. It told TradeWinds that the ship’s technical manager, Nabeel Shipmanagement, is contesting the allegation that the spill originated from the Harrier. Wirana said the matter is being discussed between the vessel’s insurers and the Turkish authorities.
The Aliaga spill is the latest episode in a long-running saga involving attempts to scrap the Harrier, which has been embroiled in European ship-demolition politics.
Asia scrapping attempt
A move to scrap the vessel at an Asian beaching yard under its original name, the Eide Carrier, was uncovered by the Norwegian authorities when it ran into difficulties en route and was rescued by the Norwegian coast guard.
Norway's central unit for fighting economic and environmental crimes, better known as Okokrim, is investigating the ship’s original owner, George Eide, and Wirana for breaching European waste export regulations. The parties under investigation deny any wrongdoing.
Two European owners, Netherlands-based Seatrade and Holland Maas, have been found guilty of breaking European rules when scrapping ships.
There is no suggestion Sok Denizcilik or any of the Turkish shipbreakers in the region are at fault for the oil spill. Sok Denizcilik is recognised as one of the country’s leading shipyards and handles the demolition work of leading shipowners such as Maersk Line.
