Rules on international waste transfers being respected in Croatia

Ordered of the Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure the Moby Drea vessel, which was towed to the Brodosplit shipyard for maintenance work in recent days, to leave the facility within seven days.

The decision came after yesterday morning’s consultations between Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković, and Minister of Ecological Transition and Environmental Protection Marija Vučković.

The joint action of the Ministry of the Sea

The joint action of the Ministry of the Sea, the Ministry of the Environment, and the State Inspectorate, prompted by protests from Split residents, led to the discovery of new circumstances: according to the authorities, the presence of the ship could constitute waste disposal in violation of Croatian law.

Leave Croatian territorial waters within one week

As a result, the owner of the Moby Drea, the Italian company Med Fuel of Messina, was notified that it must leave not only the shipyard but also Croatian territorial waters within one week. This deadline takes into account the time needed to organize the transfer of the vessel, which is currently unmanned.

 Risk of environmental contamination

The Moby Drea's interior contains metal partition panels with an asbestos core, amounting to about 350 tonnes of asbestos in total; the work will be performed by a contractor focused on this specific line of work, with special post-removal handling to minimize risk of environmental contamination. 

The waste does not involve 350 tons of toxic waste

It is noteworthy that Brodosplit states that the waste does not involve 350 tons of toxic waste, but rather approximately 350 tons of panels containing asbestos, which is common for ships built before 2001: “The planned work will not remove all the panels, but only a portion.”

Protests outside the shipyard's gates

It is noteworthy that the ship arrived at Brodosplit under tow in late July, and its berthing was approved by local port authorities. But the project immediately met a speed bump: a citizens initiative to halt the work. The group organized protests outside the shipyard's gates in an attempt to prevent work from going forward, and it filed a petition with Croatia's government to demand the ship's removal, questioning whether the Moby Drea is undergoing repair or has another ultimate fate. 

For its part, Brodosplit said that the asbestos was fully encased in the panels and would be handled and disposed of safely. Air testing on board the ship was carried out and detected no sign of contamination before the start of work, the firm said in a statement to local media. 

 Vranjic, a small town near Split

Local sensitivities are high because of the region's history. Vranjic, a small town near Split, was once the site of a large asbestos construction material factory; the area has considerable experience with the dangers, including hundreds of fatalities over the decades. The public memory of trouble with asbestos is still alive and well, and - any statistical risk profile for the specifics of the Moby Drea project aside - protesters have expressed a strong desire to avoid returning to those days. 

Brodosplit JSC is a member of the DIV Group and is at the head of group of companies with a long and bright tradition. Brodosplit is one of the most famous European shipyards.

The shipbuilding industry exist since 1922, while the Brodosplit Shipyard as a company was established in 1932. On a location near the airport, as well as cargo and passenger international port and the historic city center.

Related : Fire on board the Moby Ale Due – second accident

Sources : Italian Media + Other Sources