Brazilian Navy ship Nae Sao Paulo to be dismantled in Aliağa

Brazilian Navy ship Nae Sao Paulo to be dismantled in Aliağa

It was revealed that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change gave permission to Sök Denizcilik on May 30, 2022 for the dismantling of the Brazilian Navy's warship named Nae Sao Paulo in Aliağa.

It was revealed that the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change gave permission to Sök Denizcilik on May 30, 2022 for the dismantling of the Brazilian Navy's warship named Nae Sao Paulo in Aliağa. Drawing attention to the danger posed by the warship allegedly containing more than 900 tons of asbestos, Mehmet Şeyhmus Ensari, President of the Association of Asbestos Dismantling Experts (ASUD), said, "There are enough asbestos bombs coming in Aliağa that can affect and even kill all the inhabitants."

It has been revealed that Sök Shipping company has received approval from the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change for the Brazilian Navy's warship, Nae Sao Paulo, to be brought to the shipbreaking facilities in İzmir's Aliağa district.

"IF RADIATION IS AGAINST DECLARATION, IT WILL BE SENT BACK"

With the letter of the Ministry dated May 30, 2022, it was stated that the company gave conditional permission to its application. In the letter of the Ministry, it was stated:

"Our Ministry has no objections on the condition that the planned transportation is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Basel Convention, is free of waste as much as possible, there is no radioactive material on the ship and the radiation measurements of the ship are below the fund level. When the ship arrives in our country, radiation measurements will be made by the authorized institution without giving permission to berth, and the expenses related to the measurements will be removed. It will be borne by Denizcilik ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.. If it is determined that the measurement result is below the fund level values ​​as declared and that there is no radioactive material on the ship, the ship will be berthed to the dismantling facility. If radiation contrary to the declaration is found on the ship as a result of the measurements, the ship will be sent back to the exporting country."

"THE SHIP WILL BE BROUGHT TO IZMIR BY TOWING WITH TRAILER"

ASUD President Mehmet Şeyhmus Ensari drew attention to the danger posed by the ship to be brought to Aliağa. Ensari said:

"Unfortunately, the asbestos bomb Sao Paulo ship arrives in Aliağa. The French-built ship was deactivated by the Brazilian navy in February 2017. On 12 March 2021, the Turkish company Sök Denizcilik ve Ticaret Anonim Şirketi, which was engaged in shipbreaking in Aliağa, launched Aliağa. It was purchased for disassembly in Turkey. It is expected to arrive in Turkey for 16 months. Various permits and correspondence have been completed in accordance with the provisions of the Basel Convention on the control of the cross-border transport of hazardous wastes and disposal. The ship is about to depart for Aliağa by towing with trailers.

"TURKEY'S BLEEDING WOUND"

Ship dismantling in Aliağa and ship repair-maintenance in other shipyards are Turkey's bleeding wounds in terms of exposure to asbestos and hazardous materials. The answer given by the Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum to a parliamentary question, "714 ships were dismantled and 241 tons of asbestos was disposed of in Aliağa in 5 years", showed that we, as ASUD, were right in our concerns. We have information that Clemenceau, the twin of the Sao Paulo ship, contained 760 tons of asbestos. In this case, the ship's arrival in Turkey for dismantling is more than 3 times the amount of 241 tons of asbestos announced by the ministry. Employees and local people in Aliağa ship dismantling were exposed to asbestos. A large amount of asbestos bombs are coming, which can affect and even kill all the people living in Aliağa. Aliağa, İzmir and the Aegean Sea are under serious threat."

IT WAS GREAT RESPONSE

In İzmir, environmental organizations, chambers and non-governmental organizations reacted to the fact that the Sao Paulo ship would be brought to İzmir and various press statements were made. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Tunç Soyer said on his social media account on May 14, 2021, "I am closely following the news that the Nae Sao Paulo aircraft carrier from Brazil will be brought to Aliağa for dismantling. I have learned that the Ministry has not given any permission for the ship, which is stated to contain 600 tons of asbestos. ' he had declared.