Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Grounded BBC China Denies Nuclear Cargo

"Only a year ago, the BBC China - en route to Libya at the time - was found to be carrying several containers filled with the parts of sophisticated centrifuges intended for the use in the building of uranium enrichment plants.

"These were listed on the ship's manifest as 'used machine parts'," DA environment spokesperson Gareth Morgan said.

The vessel was also the subject of a search by the US coast guard in Honolulu harbour, in February this year, after a crew member had indicated to officials there might be hazardous material aboard.

"Although ultimately cleared at the time, this ship needs to be treated with caution."

Note: The Chinese government utilizes the merchant fleet to support the military, and to deliver arms shipments. China’s shipbuilding industry is quickly growing to become a major force in this market. The China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO) is a conglomerate that own 34 subsidiaries based in a dozen countries.

COSCO has a substantial presence at two strategically located ports in the world, Singapore and Port Said, Egypt at the entrance of the Suez Canal. There are credible reports linking COSCO to the Chinese military. The U.S. Congress’s Cox Report states, “Although presented as a commercial entity, COSCO is actually an arm of the Chinese military establishment.”

-Am

SA to probe China's grounding
20/10/2004 08:46 - (SA)

Enrico Claassen and Sapa


Port Elizabeth - The official investigation into the running aground of the freighter, BBC China, which was shipwrecked at Port Grosvenor on the Wild Coast on Sunday, is due to start on Wednesday.

According to Captain William Dernier, operations manager of the South African Maritime Safety Authority in Cape Town, an investigation team visited the ship on Monday to scrutinise the ship's bills of lading before the investigation could start.

Meanwhile, everything is in place to pump the 120 tons of oil from the ship on Wednesday.

According to Dernier, the oil was to have been transferred from the ship on Tuesday, but high winds prevented this.

He said all equipment needed to pump the oil from the hold of the ship had been put aboard on Tuesday.

According to Dernier, a small amount of oil was still leaking from the ship's stern.

He said it was estimated it would take five days to pump all the oil from the ship's hold.

nine tons of batteries

Dernier strongly denied rumours that BBC China was transporting nuclear material.

"After I had scrutinised the bills of lading regarding the ship's freight, I could not find any nuclear material on board.

"However, if there was any nuclear material on board, it would be illegal," said Dernier.

He again confirmed the only dangerous material on board was nine tons of batteries and paint products.

Carol Moses of the national department of the environment and tourism said this material did not present an immediate danger to the environment as it was well-packed.

Moses said the department would not institute an independent investigation into the accident.

She said the department had already received a copy of the freight manifest of the BBC China indicating that no nuclear material was on board.

The ship, which was on its way from Durban to Spain, ran aground on a sandbank about 21:00 on Sunday, 150m from the beach at Port Grosvenor, about 150 nautical miles from Durban.

Sixteen crew were rescued from the stranded ship under dramatic conditions by a helicopter from Durban port control.

Edited by Iaine Harper



http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1607635,00.html




Concern over ship's cargo
18/10/2004 16:30 - (SA)


Cape Town - There is good reason to be concerned about the cargo of the vessel BBC China, which went aground on rocks off the Wild Coast at the weekend, the Democratic Alliance warned on Monday.

"Only a year ago, the BBC China - en route to Libya at the time - was found to be carrying several containers filled with the parts of sophisticated centrifuges intended for the use in the building of uranium enrichment plants.

"These were listed on the ship's manifest as 'used machine parts'," DA environment spokesperson Gareth Morgan said.

The vessel was also the subject of a search by the US coast guard in Honolulu harbour, in February this year, after a crew member had indicated to officials there might be hazardous material aboard.

"Although ultimately cleared at the time, this ship needs to be treated with caution."

Hazardous materials

Morgan called on Environmental Affairs Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk to declare "whether there are any hazardous materials aboard the BBC China".

"There has already been a spillage of oil from the ship... but considering (the BBC China's) chequered history... the effect of the oil spill could be less significant than potential contamination of the marine environment from the contents or remnants of previous contents on the ship."

The exploits of the BBC China had featured in a major speech delivered by US President George Bush in February this year, and had formed the basis of questions put to British foreign secretary Jack Straw.

"The ship is currently off the pristine Pondoland coast in the vicinity of a recently declared Marine Protected Area.

"Apart from this being a significant local tourist destination, many locals sustain themselves from harvesting marine resources along this coast, and have the right to be assured that this ecosystem is not contaminated.

"In this National marine week, the minister would do well to consider whether ships with histories such as the BBC China's, should be travelling anywhere close to our marine protected areas," Morgan said.

Van Schalkwyk's office was not immediately available for comment.

Cargo

According to media reports earlier on Monday - quoting SA maritime safety authority head Captain Bill Dernier - the hazardous cargo aboard the BBC China comprises "small quantities of paint, batteries and bottles of compressed carbon dioxide".

Dernier said the vessel also had 58 tons of heavy fuel oil, 60 tons of gas oil and eight tons of lubrication oil on board.

It is understood the BBC China was en route to Dar-es-Salaam at the time she went aground on Saturday night.

Salvors are reportedly planning to first remove all oil from the vessel before launching an attempt to pull her off the rocks.

Edited by Elmarie Jack

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1606912,00.html