Press Release – Toxic aircraft carrier São Paulo rejected by Turkey returning to Brazil
Environmental and labour groups declare victory
The toxic waste-laden aircraft carrier SÃO PAULO is on its way back to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. IBAMA, the Brazilian Agency that had approved the export, was forced to recall the ship after Turkey barred its entrance on August 26, 2022, pending a proper and credible accounting of the volumes of hazardous wastes on board, including asbestos, PCBs, toxic paints, and radioactive wastes.
Prior to this dramatic reversal, a broad coalition of civil society organisations and concerned citizens had raised the alarm about the final voyage of the massive vessel, alerting authorities in Brazil, Turkey, and countries all over the Mediterranean region with numerous, detailed letters describing the illegality of the transboundary movement of the hazardous wastes on board the ship. The opposition against the export also manifested itself in large street protests in Aliağa, Izmir, and elsewhere in Turkey. Additionally, the UK territory of Gibraltar had stated that it would disallow the passage of the ship through its territorial waters prior to Turkey’s decision.
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Linkedin-copy.png)
Under the Basel Convention, inventories of hazardous materials must be accurate, and the environmentally sound management of the toxics assured. Further, under the Izmir Protocol of the Barcelona Convention, Turkey is not allowed to import hazardous wastes into its territory.
So far, two suspect Inventories of Hazardous Materials (IHMs) have been submitted by Sök Denizcilik and Ticaret Limited, the buyer of the ship, despite the impossibility to access the majority of the ship’s structure to conduct a proper assessment. Both documents identify quantities of hazardous substances, such as asbestos and PCBs, far below the actual amounts found on SÃO PAULO’s sister ship CLEMENCEAU. The latter was built with the same design and was found to contain hundreds of tons of asbestos and PCBs at the time of its recycling in the UK. The buyer’s claim of a reported 9 tons of asbestos, no PCBs, and no radioactive residues on board the SÃO PAULO is thus seen as highly improbable.
Now, with the initial victory declared, the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, together with the Basel Action Network (BAN), BAN Asbestos France, the Henri Pézerat Association (Work, Health, Environment), International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS), İstanbul İSİG (İşçi Sağlığı ve İş Güvenliği) Meclisi, Greenpeace Mediterranean, and Brazilian ABREA (Associação Brasileira dos Expostos ao Amianto), is calling for a new independent IHM to be performed under the review of the French Government, and, importantly, for an entirely new auction to take place with only legal destinations participating.
When France sold the vessel to Brazil, the sale agreement specified that the ship could not be sent for dismantling without prior French approval. Given the current circumstances, France should now assist IBAMA in making sure an impartial and objective assessment of the quantities of hazardous materials on board is carried out, and the removal of asbestos, PCBs, radioactive substances, and toxic paints is performed in full compliance with national and international rules aimed at protecting both workers and the environment from poor waste management practices.
Several European yards, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, have been showing interest in properly managing the recycling of the vessel. Additionally, a Brazilian organisation has been relentlessly campaigning for the conversion of the ship into a museum. Considering the illegality of the attempted transboundary movement and the buyer’s unreliable IHM submissions, Brazil is urged to start over, and initiate a new sale and be ready to consider alternative offers even if they are more expensive.
The SÃO PAULO is scheduled to arrive in Rio de Janeiro on October 4. According to the civil society groups, without a new accurate IHM, environmentally sound waste management plans, a new auction, and assurances of legal export, the ship must not be allowed to leave Brazil again.
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Asli-Odman-Photo_crop.jpg)
For more information:
Jim Puckett, Basel Action Network, e-mail: jpuckett@ban.org, Phone: +1 206-354-0391Annie Thébaud-Mony, for Ban Asbestos-France Association, email: annie.mony@gmail.com
Asli Odman, Istanbul Health and Safety Labour Watch, email: asliodman@gmail.com
NGO Shipbreaking Platform, e-mail: info@shipbreakingplatform.org, Phone, +32 (0)260.94.419
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ICON_TEAM-1.png)
Related news
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/korie-jenkins-rVPxgFMFpdc-unsplash-500x500.jpg)
Press Release – UAE takes important steps towards sustainable ship recycling
Set to take effect from June 2025, UAE new legislation brings about a ban on the beaching and landing of UAE-flagged vessels as well as all foreign vessels leaving or transiting through UAE waters enroute to scrap yards.
... Read More![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Beached-ship-5-1-500x500.jpg)
Platform News – NGO Shipbreaking Platform presents Annual Report 2015
The NGO Shipbreaking Platform presents its Annual Report 2015. Check the new Annual Report to find out more about: – our findings about global shipbreaking practices in… Read More
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/DSC02298-Optimized.JPG_effected-001-660x478-1-500x500.jpg)
Platform News – Surge of fatal accidents in Chittagong
At least five shipbreaking workers have been killed and five more severely injured in a series of fatal accidents in Bangladesh in one month only. On… Read More
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/UI9A0204-500x500.jpg)
2nd Ship Recycling Lab
2nd Edition of the Ship Recycling Lab to take place in Lisbon on 9-10 October 2024.
... Read More![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/BartVanEijden_ShipbreakingBangladesh-81-1-500x500.jpg)
Press Release – Danish opposition parties call on Government to stop beaching of Maersk vessels
The Danish Environment Minister, Esben Lunde Larsen, had to answer to the Parliament yesterday following questions put to the Government by all the opposition parties. The… Read More
![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/PHOTO-2022-08-04-12-05-13-500x500.jpg)
Press Release – Toxic warship “Clemenceau II” starts voyage from Brazil to the Mediterranean Sea
Reports from Rio de Janeiro confirm that the sister ship of the infamous aircraft carrier Clemenceau has now been placed under tow on an about 6000-mile journey to Turkey, where it is to be scrapped.
... Read More![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/162765950_10158175572685036_3934030147728750012_n-500x500.jpg)
Press Release – NGOs call upon authorities to sanction illegal exports of cruises
At least three passenger ships have been illegally sold for scrapping on the beaches of South Asia in the last months.
... Read More![](https://shipbreakingplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Beached-ship-3-1-500x500.jpg)
Platform News – UN Special Rapporteur concerned about German shipbreaking practices
In a written submission to the German Government, UN Special Rapporteur Baskut Tuncak has expressed serious concerns related to the substandard shipbreaking practices of German ship owners,… Read More