After asbestos, Canada dumps two dead hazardous ships on Alang beach

Two Canadian ships formerly known as the MV Joseph and Clara Smallwood and the MV Caribou was disposed of on Alang beach, Bhavnagar, Guajrat, India.

They were brought from North Sydney to Indian waters violating Basel Convention and the order of the Supreme Court of India.

Green Tribunal Issues Notices in the M V Rak Case

National Green Tribunal has issued notices to Union of India, Maharashtra Government, Maharashtra Maritime Board, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, M/s Delta Shipping Marine Services, Qatar and Adani Enterprise Limited (AEL) to file affidavits in the matter of sinking of Panama flagged Cargo Ship MV Rak Carrier carrying on board 60,000 tonnes of coal for AEL.

The ship was headed to Gujarat from Indonesia. It sunk near Mumbai coast. Following this notice damages will have to ascertained amidst violation of national and international laws and filed in the coming days before the Tribunal in the Case No.24/2011.

The Directorate General of Shipping, at about 0800 hours, received information from Mumbai Port on 4th August, 2011 that MV Rak Carrier type Bulk Carrier, Flag Panama, built in 1984, manned with 30 crew (Indonesian, Jordanian, Romanian) on board was observed to be adrift 20 miles off from Prongs Reef Light House located at the entrance of Mumbai Harbour, since 4th August, 2011 early hours of morning.

This vessel was on her voyage from Lubuk Tutung (Indonesia) to Dahej (Gujarat) having cargo of 60054 MT cargo of Coal on board reported ingress of water. This vessel is owned and managed by M/s. Delta Shipping Marine Services, Qatar and classed with Lloyds Register of Shipping. The exact quantity of fuel oil and diesel oil remained to be verified.

The Directorate in the capacity of Maritime Assistance Service had requested the Indian Coast Guard to render immediate assistance to this vessel in distress. The report received from the Coast Guard and ETV on 4th August, 2011 at around 1330 hours indicated that ¾ length of the vessel (Overall length about 225 meters) had already been submerged.

The flag administration had also been notified of this shipping casualty. The Directorate, under the provisions of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 section 356 J & K had issued statutory notice to the ship owner, ship manager and the local ship agent. Directorate General of Shipping had already ordered statutory enquiry into this incident, and had said that it would request the flag state to investigate under the prevailing International law.

These cases of vessels like MV Rak must not be seen in isolation. It needs to be looked at as part of acts of omission and commission by shipping companies in the Indian waters who wish to escape liability in various disguises in order to safeguard nation's ecological security.

The matter came for hearing before the Tribunal's Chairperson's Bench of Hon'ble Shri Justice L.S Panta Chairperson and Hon'ble Shri Vijai Sharma, Expert Member at Van Vigyan Bhawan, Sector-V, R K Puram, New Delhi.

Gopal Krishna
ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA)
Mb: 9818089660
E-mail: krishna1715@gmail.com
Web:http://toxicswatch.blogspot.com

Swiss Hazardous Ships Bought for Dumping on South Asian Beaches?

MSC Dumps HAZARDOUS SHIPS ON ALANG BEACH YET IT GETS AWARD FOR PROTECTING ENVIRONMENT
Two ships namely Ballina with IMO No. 8300602 and Navajo Spirit with : IMO No. 8613803 owned by SBM Offshore N.V. company of Switzerland. Its 2010 Annual Report revealed that the carrying values of two tankers (Navajo Spirit and Ballina) was reduced to market value. The same was reiterated in company's Press Release dated March 4, 2011. Sources have informed that both these end-of-life tankers which are laden with hazardous materials has been bough over by a company called GMS. It is apprehended that the vessel is likely to reach any of the three South Asian beaches of Gadani, Chittagong and Alang in near future.

It may be noted that Switzerland is a landlocked country. But shipping companies like the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the second-largest container shipping line in the world is headquartered here. MSC has been dumping its end-of-life vessels for several years. Sources have revealed that since 2009 more than 30 ships owned by MSC have been beached in Alang including as MSC Jessica or MSC Chitra. MSC, a Geneva based company operates 441 vessels on 306 ports in the 6 continents. It has a MSC India wind as well.

ToxicsWatch Alliance (TWA) finds it strange that Gianluigi Aponte, Italian businessman, founder and chairman of MSC who dumps his dead and hazardous vessels in the ecologically fragile coastal ecosystem of Alang beach endangering migrant casual workers and the local community has been awarded for "his spectacular annual event celebrates outstanding contributions to safe, efficient and environmentally friendly shipping" at the 23rd Seatrade Awards Ceremony in London on March 4, 2011.

Aponte is estimated to have a fortune of 3.5 billion swiss francs. He is one of the richest persons in Switzerland. He has received the prize for "Neapolitan Excellence in the World" from Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Prime Minister.

Will Aponte and Seatrade explain how does dumping of following MSC owned cargo ships on Alang beach at least since January 1. 2009 qualify as "safe, efficient and environmentally friendly shipping":

MSC Edna
MSC Giulia
MSC Emilia S
MSC Deila
MSC Eliana
MSC Jessica
MSC Katherine Ann
MSC Manu
MSC Mee May
MSC Rosa M
MSC Stefania
MSC Anastasia
MSC Clorinda
MSC Cristiana
MSC Denisse
MSC Lauren
MSC Laurence
MSC Michele
MSC Veronique
MSC Federica
MSC Gabriella
MSC Ilaria
MSC Immacolata
MSC Lucia
MSC Serena
MSC Selin
MSC Idil
MSC Sena
MSC Pilar
MSC Sariska
MSC Chitra
MSC Shaula
MSC Sudan
MSC Paola

In 2006 MSC had its cruise ship Monterey with IMO No. 5240904 was dismantled on Alang beach.