Wind up issue of MT Cherish
AFTER beaching of MT CHERISH at Gadani Yard, media reports generated controversies about the presence of huge amount of Mercury-contaminated sludge.
Unfortunately, these reports mostly revolved around the Interpol’s alert, which had no credible source as discussed in the first episode of this article.
Unnecessary delay in the inquiry report and manipulation of the facts against true spirit of national and international compliance requirements would be detrimental for the overall interest of this industry.
The genuine stakeholders desire this industry to flourish by bringing improvement at workplace through clean and safe operations, which cannot be done without the support from federal and provincial governments.
On technical grounds, there is a need to understand compliance requirement vis-a-vis operational aspects of Gadani Ship Recycling Yard since there is no other choice.
History of MT Cherish reveals that the ship was no such huge level of contaminated oil sludge at the time of entering into Pakistani waters.
Before entering into Pakistani waters, MT Cherish was standing outside the port limit (OPL) Mumbai since October 2020 and before that it was at OPL Singapore.
The ship’s agent informed Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Centre (JMICC) about the arrival of MT Cherish on 20 April 2021 and also mentioned its old name ie MT Radiant.
The ship entered into Pakistani waters on 21 April 2021 and stayed at Gadani anchorage during 21-29 April 2021, as per general practice of end-of-life ships arriving to Gadani Yard. JMICC informed relevant authorities about arrival of the vessel on 20 April 2021.
Although Ministry of Defence (MoD) forwarded the Interpol’s message to Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) for necessary action vide letter MoD’s UO FNo.2/3/M-2/2015/M-3 dated 4 May 2021, the ship was already beached at Plot 58-60 on the shores of Gadani Yard on 30 April 2021.
Before the operation ceased, Bow cutting was already done after permission from Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency (BEPA) vide Letter No DD(EPA)/ 5068-67 dated 03 May 2021.
In addition, BEPA also granted permission for making windows in Hull of Ship MT Cherish for the purpose of cross ventilation vide Letter No DD(EPA)/ 5068-73 dated 03 May 2021, in compliance with BEPA’s Notification No. Sect-Env/65-82 dated 23 April 2018.
On 21 May 2021, BEPA confirmed initiation of approval process for Initial Environmental Examination (IEE) vide letter no. DG (EPA)/8331-33/2020-21 dated 21 May 2021, against submitted IEE Report by M/s Dewan Ship Recycling on 23 April 2021.
These are the procedural requirements which are supposed to me met as per law of the land and also in the light of PMSA’s Letter No 280/FISH/RFA/258 dated 4 May 2021.
Manufactured in 1983 at Japan, MT Cherish had been in Indonesia since year 2019 where it remained until April 2020 with the name of Radiant when it left for Singapore after cleaning and necessary clearance from Batam Port Authority Indonesia vide Port Clearance No. C11.1.1-KP.I-WK/0377/04/2020 dated 17 April 2020.
A sludge quantity of over 1100 tons was cleaned. On10 July 2020, CMC Marine Pte. Ltd. Singapore issued Hot Work Permit and Gas Free Certificate, which means the ship had no huge Mercury contaminated sludge.
In October 2020, the ship arrived at OPL Mumbai under tow, to sell for dismantling. On 10 November 2020, the then owner had a test of waste oil from Skylab Analytical Laboratory, Mumbai, India found 54.41µg/kg Mercury.
It is within limit as per United States’ Environmental Protection Agency’s Regulatory Level i.e. 200 µg/kg (i.e. 0.2 mg/l or 0.2 mg/kg) for the maximum concentrations of Mercury contaminant for its toxicity characteristics under Hazardous Waste Code Number D009.
From October 2020 to February 2021, the ship was standing at OPL Mumbai, India and the owner under pandemic situation became bankrupt during for sale period between 2019 to February 2021.
Due to non-payment of outstanding loan, the mortgagor bank took over the possession of the vessel from mortgagee Owner lawfully during the stay at OPL Mumbai & subsequently sold to Al Garhoud Trading LLC, Dubai.
Finally, it reached to Gadani anchorage under tow on 21 April 2021. On arrival, it had Gas Free certificate that was furnished to JMICC by the Ship Agent. It reported the fuel oil in its tanks around 350 Tons.
On 30 April 2021, M/s DewanShip Recycling requested Balochistan Environmental Protection Agency (BEPA) for permission of Bow cutting for dismantling purpose, which was granted on 3 May, 2021.
The waste oil was also tested by Global Environmental Laboratory, Karachi on 24 May 2021 and detected 150 µg/kg Mercury content which is also within limit as per international guideline.
There is no guideline for disposal of Mercury contaminant under Pakistan’s National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS), to cover such type of contaminated waste oil sludge.
Regarding waste disposal, this scribe had special consultations with Additional Director General of Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) Waqar Hussain Phulpoto, Deputy Director Balochistan EPA and Professor Dr Muhammad Irfan Khan, Board Member of NSP.
Partially filled 105 drums of 200 litres each are present on deck of the ship, for which quantity was assessed to approximately 14-15 tons.
After bow cutting, some sludge quantity was dumped in an open pit on site through the use of jute bags which were found against safe disposal method as required under Balochistan Environmental Protection Act 2012.
The Master of Tug MV Achieve towing the ship also declared store list and reported the presence of an approximate 350 tons fuel oil, which was filed at Custom House Gadani.
In the given scenario, the best possible option is a sanitary landfill of the contaminated sludge by mixing it with mud.
BEPA has yet to issue approvals for cold work followed by hot-work against the submitted IEE report for MT Cherish which will ensure environmental compliance.
In a nutshell, all necessary legal compliance was made for the ship till the time to beach at Gadani Yard and there is no such manipulated quantity of contaminated sludge found.
It is time to wind-up the case by resuming the work in accordance with rules of the business and discouraging the propagation of negative agenda. —Concluded
—The writer is associated with National Institute of Maritime Affairs (NIMA), contributes to the national press regularly.
