Companies that would make the environmental recycling of the ship say they are no longer able to maintain the Nae São Paulo project, exported residue that belongs to Brazil and must return to the country of origin
In compliance with the international determinations of social and environmental responsibility, the companies MSK Maritime Services & Trading and SÖK, responsible for the transportation and receipt of the former aircraft carrier of the Brazilian Navy Nae São Paulo, sent on Tuesday (12/20) a formal communication to the United Nations (UN), environmental agencies, and representatives of the Brazilian, Turkish, and French governments reporting the lack of assistance from the Brazilian authorities in finding a solution for the ship.
According to the Basel Convention, the exporting country, in this case Brazil, is responsible for allowing the return of the exported waste, and this is an obligation of an international nature, and it is up to the Navy, and not the State of Pernambuco or the Port of Suape, to dispose of maritime ports and determine the destination of the vessel, which is near the coast of Pernambuco burning fuel at the expense of maritime fauna and flora.
In the material addressed to the international bodies, the lawsuit of the Government of Pernambuco against the Federal Government is cited, as well as the unreasonable consequences for the companies that already amount to the order of US 5 million. “Unfortunately, the authorities simply ignored our situation and acted as if this financial bleeding had nothing to do with them, although they have been the real owners of this waste for about a year,” the material points out. (full text is below)
“It is more than 80 days experiencing this agony. We see day by day our requests for assistance and cooperation being ignored by the Brazilian authorities”, says the lawyer specialized in Maritime Law, Zilan Costa e Silva.
The material was addressed to the Environmental Quality Directory of Ibama; to Yvonne Ewang-Sanvincent, legal adviser of the United Nations for the Environment; Emilia Wahlstrom, director of the United Nations for the Environment; to the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion of France; to the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions; the United Nations Environment Programme; Claude Wohrer, the French Secretary General for Sea Affairs; Jean Romnicianu, French diplomat; the Turkish Chancellor in France; Sadiye Karabulut, responsible for Turkey’s Circular Economy and Waste Management Department; and the Turkish consulate in São Paulo, among others.
Read the full material sent to world authorities:
“Dear Sirs,
As the matter is very well known and all parties are quite familiar, we see no reason to repeat the whole story of the project from the beginning, but we certainly believe that we should at least emphasize what has happened since our train was unfairly declared as “illegal ” due to the information of false and unfounded allegations on August 26, 2022, then left Brazil on August 4, after completion of all required procedures and in accordance with all relevant regulations.
Our company, Sok Denizcilik, has always acted in accordance and respected the regulations, laws and rules since the foundation, therefore we followed the instructions of the competent authority of the exporting country, Ibama, regarding the return of the waste (according to the Basel Convention) to the exporting country, Brazil.
On October 05, 2022 the convoy arrived on the roads of Suape (a district of Pernambuco-BR), at the location indicated to us by the Brazilian Navy.
Although we had requested several times during the return trip, unfortunately no refugee port (or at least an anchorage) was designated. Rather, we were ordered to keep the “waste” out of Brazilian inland waters, as if the waste was neither exported from Brazil nor owned by Brazil.
At the same time, we were instructed to provide a Master Salvage Report, as a damage was determined on the waste upon arrival. We completed the same report which was also supported by an underwater survey and we also obtained the Non-Coral Sun Report. These were the items that were instructed to us to be able to obtain permission to enter the inland waters. During this time, we participated in several meetings with the Navy, Engeprom, and local authorities to state our intention to find a suitable way that would allow us to continue the project that was recycling and environmentally correct disposal of a Brazilian waste.
We stated several times that the Brazilian authorities should intervene responsibly in this regard and indicate us a place to dock, but unfortunately we did not find any serious response. On the contrary, despite all our efforts, the authorities refused to provide solid and efficient assistance, and the convoy remained at sea, with misplaced excuses. In fact, it could easily be considered irresponsible, as the required Salvage Master Report clearly stated that the damage to the waste should be repaired without much delay.
While waiting for a protected berth for the repairs and the completion of the procedure necessary to restart the re-export process, all we were met with were refusals and more refusals with unreasonable excuses. In the end, the Brazilian Waste (hull of the ex-Nae São Paulo) was totally denied any kind of entry into inland waters in Recife (PE), because the State Government filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government.
Suddenly, our convoy, and certainly our company, has just become the victim of a vendetta to which we were not even a party. This conflict has already cost us about US? 5 million, which can easily be considered a small fortune. Unfortunately, the authorities have simply ignored our situation and acted as if this financial bleeding had nothing to do with them, even though they have been the real owners of this waste for about a year.
Losing hope of a safe place in Pernambuco (which was ordered to us as a destination by the Navy…) we then tried with all possible options; all shipyards and almost all ports in Brazil, but all ended with more refusals. We even tried, to our own ability, to find a place to anchor, but with the Navy’s instruction regarding the prohibition of any anchoring this also became impossible.
In the end, despite all our efforts, we were not able to get the necessary support from the Authorities that would allow us to continue in this project. As we stated several times, our intention was to finish the re-export procedure and complete the recycling and disposal of the Brazilian waste according to the contract we signed. However, today 77 days have passed since our arrival, and yet all our requests for assistance and cooperation have been completely ignored. Which leads us to conclude that we are no longer in a position to maintain this recycling and waste disposal project, especially while any of the states involved are not taking any responsibility.
It should also be appreciated by the parties involved that we, as a professional, Green Ship approved and certified recycling yard, make every effort to continue sustainability and protect the environment from day one of our involvement.
From now on, any action from us will be only to protect us from “battles” that we are certainly not part of, nor borderline.”
Source: DefenseNet.com.br *** Translated by the DEFCONPress FYI Team ***