EXPLOITATION AND INDUSTRIALIZATION OF THE SEA

The Japanese government has announced that they are considering “major repairs” of the Nisshin Maru, the mother factory ship of the whaling fleet that works in Antarctica in the name of science. The work will be superficial because the Nisshin Maru should be ready in time for the departure to Antarctica which happens every year in November. The Japanese Fisheries Agency hopes that this fast cosmetic repair will resist 10 years.

However, the Nisshin Maru is old. She is fragile. She was launched in 1987.

Marseille has inherited two out of age cruiseships that should go to a museum or more logically to scrapping. They no longer meet the requirements of international conventions on the protection of passengers and crews, and on the protection of the environment (SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions of the International Maritime Organization). In 2011, the average age of passenger ships to be withdrawn from operation was 36 years.

The Athena was built in 1948, she is 64 years old now. She was the subject of a Robin des Bois’s press release on July 25, 2012 (See Alert in the Arctic). Robin des Bois repeats that the journey of this ship to the Arctic presents considerable risks. Her immobilization in Marseille due to unpaid bills if proof that the Portuguese shipowner does not have the means to properly maintain his ships, or even to pay his crews. Athena, under the name Stockholm, collided with the Italian cruise ship, Andrea Doria, off New York in July 1956 (see photos and records in the press release “Alert in the Arctic”).

Shell has already digged the first four drilling wells for exploring offshore French Guiana. These operations took place, one might say, by the “old system.” The authorization process had been initiated by Jospin’s government in 2001 and then extended by Fillon’s government in 2011. In the press release, “The go-fast Shell” on July 9, 2012, Robin des Bois denounced the granting conditions of such authorizations. The regional committee of marine fisheries and mariculture in French Guiana has requested that the operations be suspended.

Shell has already digged the first four drilling wells for exploring offshore French Guiana. These operations took place, one might say, by the “old system.” The authorization process had been initiated by Jospin’s government in 2001 and then extended by Fillon’s government in 2011. In the press release, “The go-fast Shell” on July 9, 2012, Robin des Bois denounced the granting conditions of such authorizations. The regional committee of marine fisheries and mariculture in French Guiana has requested that the operations be suspended.

MSC Flaminia
Press release # 9

PCB waste has burned in the fire following from the explosion of a container onboard MSC Flaminia on July 14^th 2012 (see press release Robin De Bois, August 29, 2012). The fire raged for several days. The ship was then approximately 1800 km away from the English and French coasts. The burning of PCB generates dioxins that increased the overall toxicity of the emissions in the air and dispersed in the sea. (cf. introduction to the list of hazardous materials aboard MSC Flaminia). It is likely that the extinguishing waters inside the vessel contain PCB residues and dioxins mixed with other pollutants.

MSC Flaminia
Press Realease # 8

MSC Flaminia is a floating logistic warehouse. Its counterpart ground project would be subject to the Seveso Directive with strict regulation concerning construction and organizational requirements; such as fireproof walls, isolation distances between classes of hazardous materials, an internal organisation plan, a specific response plan including the intervention of external emergency resources. Fires in Seveso type plants on land requires the evacuation of people and the implementation of safety measures touching on the consumption of food produced in a perameter that can sometimes range quite far.

MSC Flaminia
Press release # 7
Update August 30, 9:45 am

The complete inventory of hazardous materials on board the MSC Flaminia has been made by an unofficial source. No radioactive material is declared. However, the big surprise is the presence of two PCB waste containers on board outside the damaged area. These PCBs are banned from production and use worldwide. They were undoubtedly intended for disposal in Europe. They came clearly the United States, since MSC Flaminia left Charleston. It is surprising that the United States would expose the marine environment to known high risks by transporting and exporting hazardous waste to Europe. Exportation from the United States to Europe is not illegal as long as done in accordance to the Basel Convention on transborder movements of hazardous waste. But it is illogical.

MSC Flaminia

Press release # 6 and chronology.

The MSC Flaminia’s wandering after its accident has lasted since July 14^th, 2012. Until August 21, the containership in great distress, the tugs, and their crews were pushed away from French and British waters. The convoy remained in a no-man’s land, out of the range of helicopters in case of emergency. The lack of information about the kind of hazardous materials on board was a strenuous challenge to rescuers.

On July 18, after the second explosion, the first tug moved away about 2 km from the MSC Flaminia in order to avoid all risks. Simultaneously, MSC spoke of a “small explosion”.

On August 26, MSC Flaminia was anchored off the Southwestern coast of England ; a team of experts boarded for inspection. They determined falling temperatures in the area destroyed by the fire and measured 50 degrees in hold 3 which has still been smouldering on August 23 ; this hold contains 245 containers among which 2 nitromethane boxes, now considered as no more endangered. There is no more open fire; the ship has now a list of 2.5 degrees.

The classification society of the ship confirms that the superstructure, the stern, the hull and the rudder are intact.

MSC Flaminia

Press release no. 4

Inspection of the damaged container ship before she crosses the English Channel and the North Sea will take place in the coming days.

German experts along with British, Dutch and French specialists shall examine the condition of the vessel, her containers and her cargo.

Robin des Bois wishes this expertise to be completed by a radiological diagnosis of the ship. Hundreds of containers are damaged and the charterer of MSC Flaminia, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), is known to occasionally transport radioactive materials. The company is also known for a lack of transparency when it comes to publishing, when required, an inventory of transported goods. In November 1997, the MSC Carla broke in two off the Azores during a journey from Le Havre to Boston. MSC have remained silent with regards to the nature of the cargo, and it was three days after the accident that the French Nuclear Installations Safety Directorate (DSIN) announced that three sealed radioactive sources for use in American hospitals were aboard MSC Carla; they sank with the fore section, whilst the aft section was towed to the Canary Islands.