Maersk Line, the operator of MV Maersk Nashville, has been directed by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) to retain the container NO. UESU4635950, carrying toxic waste onboard MV Maersk Nashville but return it to the port of loading in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
The vessel, which was detained by port authorities last Thursday, was released from detention Friday afternoon and commenced cargo operations at 6.20pm same evening.
Confirming this development, Managing Director of Maersk Nigeria Ltd, Mr. David Skov, said in a statement yesterday that the said container was inspected by NESREA around 8.30pm Friday evening.
According to him, Maersk Line is still awaiting the official report from the authorities as to the exact nature of the cargo.
“The shipment is handled by Safmarine. According to the Bill of Lading, the shipper – whose responsibility it is to correctly declare the content of the container – has listed the container’s contents as used items comprising a motor vehicle and miscellaneous personal effects, including electronic items (television sets and a car audio system).
“The goods were shipped from the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on March 16, 2010. Neither Maersk Line, nor Safmarine, wishes to participate in illegal trade; illegal waste or any other type of illegal cargo,” he said.
Skov insisted that it is the responsibility of Maersk Line’s customers – the shippers – to correctly declare the content of the containers.
He acknowledged that both Maersk Line and Safmarine recognise the negative effects of transporting illegal waste on people’s health and the environment in the countries where such illegal waste is discharged.
“As responsible companies we do not want to participate in such trade,” he said.
Skov noted that his company has a clear policy that it will not transport illegal goods of any kind and would not accept a shipment containing illegal goods.
According to him, the company also has procedures in place to ensure that it ascertains what can be transported legally through its global liner network.
“Representatives of Maersk Nigeria Limited, as agents for Maersk Line and Safmarine, have attended several meetings with the relevant authorities including but not limited to the Nigerian Customs Services, Nigerian Ports Authorities and NESREA.
“As environmentally responsible companies, both Maersk Line and Safmarine have throughout this incident cooperated fully with the Nigerian authorities in resolving this matter so far and we expect to continue this good cooperation in the future,” Skov said.
THISDAY reported that the various agencies at the Port last Friday moved swiftly to confirm the contents of the marked container brought along with others into the country on Thursday by a foreign ship, MV Maersk Nashvile.
Found in the container when opened at about 8.30pm in the night were disused motor batteries, tyres, which were more in number, broken black and white television sets, refrigerators and vehicle spare parts.
NESREA said the contents agreed with the pictures of the items in the container earlier sent to it.
The agency described the exercise as a success, saying the batteries were not in the ship’s manifest as being part of the cargo on board.
Following THISDAY’s story of last Thursday, alleging that the ship laden with toxic waste was on its way into the country, and was to berth at the Apapa Port on Friday, security agents, particularly the Nigeria customs had placed their men on red alert at the ports.
The vessel, however, arrived Tin Can Island Port Thursday, a day ahead of schedule.
Following the arrest and detention of all crew members, the captain and cargo of the ship and the representative of the Maersk Line in the country, one Mr. Victor Onyenku, stakeholders including NESREA, NPA, the Navy, SSS, NCS, NIMASA, Ports and Cargo Handlingn Services, Maersk Nigeria, NDLEA, Police, the Immigration Service and even the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), convened a meeting on Friday in the office of the Port Manager, where the decision to retain the killer container No. UESU 463595/0 on board the vessel was reached.
The VROM Inspectorate, which alerted NESREA, is an independent unit of the Ministry of Housing Spatial Planning and the Environment. It is the abbreviation of the Dutch name for housing, land use planning and environmental management while INECE is the global network of environmental compliance and enforcement practitioners.