Tata Steel says in the newspaper that an outside company is being hired to clean the holds of the ships after unloading the cargo. “Occasionally, there is insufficient capacity to ensure that the deck is wiped clean. In that case, a fee is also agreed with the captain for wiping the hatches and deck of the ship.”
According to the company, captains are reminded that no raw materials may enter the water and that there are high fines for non-compliance with the rules. Tata Steel was not yet available for the NOS.
‘Not desirable’
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate calls the practices described in the newspaper undesirable. “This should not happen,” said a spokesman. The Inspectorate consults with other authorities to determine what should be done about it.
The North Sea Canal Area Environment Agency previously noted that spillage occurs when seagoing vessels are unloaded. In May 2020, Tata was ordered subject to a penalty: for each violation found, the company must pay 2000 euros.
There have been nine audits since then. Only at the last check, at the beginning of this month, was it again established that there was tampering at the transhipment. That means that Tata Steel will soon receive the first fine. The Environment Agency will keep a close eye on the company in the coming period. The agency is not responsible for monitoring what happens to waste on ships when they are at sea.
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