February 2, 2015

Environmentalist groups are urging Turkish authorities to prevent a ship, believed to be loaded with radioactive waste, from entering Turkish waters.

Namely, Chevron-operated FPSO Kuito has left Angola recently and is approaching Aegean port of İzmir, where Aliaga shipyard is situated.

The vessel is supposed to dock in Izmir’s Aliaga shipyard for dismantling.

According to head of Chamber of Environment Engineers (ÇMO), Baran Bozoğlu, quoted by Turkish newspaper Today’s Zaman, the ship contains intensively high radioactive materials and waste.

Bozoğlu urged the authorities to stop the ship before it enters Turkish waters and examine it.

He also raised concerns on whether the ship had actually been cleared to enter Turkish waters calling the relevant authorities to inform the public on the matter.

The Turkish law prohibits entrance into the country’s national waters to vessels containing nuclear wastes, restricting them to 12 nm from shore.

The FPSO Kuito is owned by Sonasing and operated by OPS, both JV companies between SBM Offshore and Sonangol.

World Maritime News Staff