Brazil's CONTTMAF trade
union federation, its member SINDMAR and several NGOs have jointly asked the
Brazilian Government to stop the practice of beaching toxic ships in South
Asia.
The organisations have
condemned the shipbreaking exercises of Brazilian petroleum company Petrobras'
oil and gas transportation subsidiary Transpetro, which is owned primarily by
the State.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform
claims that more than 20 vessels owned by Petrobras were dismantled on the
beaches of India and Pakistan over the last five years.
It has also alleged that
public money has been used to build most of the ships that ended up in South
Asia, which are currently putting workers’ lives at risk and polluting the
environment in developing countries.
Various maritime databases
have also showed that at least six new units owned by Petrobras have already
been sold for demolition, but are still being held within the Brazilian
territorial waters.
NGO Shipbreaking Platform
communication and policy officer Nicola Mulinaris said: “It is unacceptable
that Petrobras and other Brazilian companies contribute to the deaths and
environmental pollution in South Asia.”
The NGO further noted that
newly published SINDMAR data has revealed that various other Brazilian
companies are involved in the dangerous ship scrapping practices.
Brazilian metals and mining
company Vale sold five ships to shipbreaking beaches in Bangladesh and Pakistan
over the last two years, where at least 79 workers were severely injured and 55
died last year.
CONTTMAF, SINDMAR and the
NGO Shipbreaking Platform have demanded stricter requirements against the
public auctions of Petrobras’ end-of-life vessels with the aim of ensuring
clean and safe ship recycling practices.
Source:
ship-technology.
19 June 2017
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