Indian Unions Plan to Stop Entry of Toxic Ship

Published Feb 8, 2006 12:01 AM by The Maritime Executive

Three large trade unions in India said last week they will take action to stop a decommissioned French warship from entering an Indian shipbreaking yard, unless it is cleared of toxic waste on board.

Environmental activists say the carrier "Clemenceau" holds hundreds of tons of toxic waste, including 500 tons of asbestos.

'We are determined to stop the ship from entering Indian waters,' said P K Ganguly of the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is affiliated with the country's biggest communist party.

The ship left from the French Mediterranean port of Toulon on Dec 31 and is expected to reach the Alang shipbreaking yard in western India in early March.

CITU, along with the All India Trade Union Congress and the National Trade Union of India, was mobilizing workers to hold demonstrations in western Gujarat state, where Alang is located, Mr Ganguly said.

The trade unions also plan to hold protest rallies in the Indian capital, including one during the upcoming visit of French President Jacques Chirac later this month, he said.

'We are not against shipbreaking that creates jobs. What we want is that "Clemenceau" should be cleared of all toxic waste before it comes here,' said H Mahadevan of the All India Trade Union Congress.

The ship has been the focus of international controversy for years concerning where it could be decontaminated.