Six officials working for Dutch reefer firm Seatrade will appear at a court in Rotterdam today, charged with sending old ships for recycling in unenvironmentally friendly sites in India and Turkey.
“The prosecution service alleges that the suspects planned to have the ships dismantled in India and Turkey in violation of European laws on transferring waste,” the prosecution said.
Seatrade faces fines of up to EUR3m while the six officials could face up to six months in prison with two months suspended.
The four ships were sent for scrap in 2012 and 2013. The prosecution alleges that Seatrade failed to get rid of toxic waste on these ships as per European guidelines.
“These ships sailing towards their final destinations contain huge quantities of dangerous substances, such as bunker oil, lubricants, and chemical products like chlorine and asbestos,” the prosecution said in a statement.
