14-8-2024 (BANGKOK) Thai authorities are scrambling to prevent the arrival of approximately 100 shipping containers allegedly filled with hazardous industrial waste from Albania. The cargo, believed to contain potentially harmful electric arc furnace dust, is currently en route to Thailand’s ports, sparking concerns over environmental and health risks.
The alarm was raised by the Basel Action Network, a US-based non-profit organisation specialising in tracking toxic trade. Last week, the group alerted Thai officials to the impending shipment, having previously assisted Malaysia in identifying illegal e-waste imports.
Adding to the urgency of the situation, one of the vessels transporting the containers has mysteriously vanished from maritime tracking systems. The ship’s disappearance near Cape Town late last month has heightened concerns, occurring shortly after the Basel Action Network informed South African authorities about the contentious cargo.
Thai officials have confirmed that they are working diligently with their counterparts in Albania and Singapore to halt the shipments. The containers, loaded onto ships in Albania in early July, are scheduled to dock in Singapore later this month before continuing to Thailand.
A spokesperson for Thailand’s Department of Industrial Works, which oversees international waste management, stated via email, “The relevant government agencies were not notified and have not given consent for these shipments. We are currently coordinating and monitoring efforts to prevent this illegal traffic.”
This incident highlights the ongoing challenge faced by Southeast Asian nations in combating the influx of waste from developed countries. From contaminated plastics to hazardous industrial and electronic waste, these imports often contain toxic substances that pose significant environmental and health risks.
The shipments in question are reportedly aboard two vessels operated by A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S, the Campton and the Candor. Maersk has confirmed that two of its cargo ships are indeed carrying containers originating from Albania, though these were booked by another shipping line.
Maersk spokeswoman Summer Shi emphasised in an email statement, “None of the containers were declared to contain hazardous waste. Had they been, Maersk would have declined to transport them.” She added that due to the speculation surrounding the containers’ contents, Maersk plans to transfer them to the shipping line responsible for the booking.
