Udenrigsudvalget 2016-17
URU Alm.del Bilag 273
Offentligt
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Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Rt. Hon. Andrea Leadsom
November 29th
Dear Mrs. Leadsom,
During the last few months we have seen accusations in the Danish press stating
that the Danish shipping company Maersk has violated the Basel Convention and
the Regulation on shipments of waste, by selling a vessel that ended up in
Bangladesh for scrapping. Upon further investigation it appears that the case in
question also involves British authorities, which is why I address myself to you.
It has been established that Maersk sold the "North Sea Producer" - a so-called
FPSO (Floating, Production Storage and Off-loading) - in April 2016 and that the
vessel, a couple of months after its sale, ended up on a beach in Bangladesh. It has
also been established that the sales agreement was entered while the “North Sea
Producer” was docked in a British port
From the information available to us, it is our preliminary conclusion, that Maersk
most likely did not violate the Regulation on shipments of waste. The buyer,
however, may have acted in violation of the Regulation if the decision to scrap the
FPSO was taken while the vessel was still in a British port.
According to a Danish newspaper, the vessel was inspected in Middlesbrough on
April 28 2016 by a British Port State Control officer, Mr. Chris Bates. At that time,
the name of the vessel had changed to "Producer". Likewise, according to the
press, the tugboat ’Terasea Hawk’ was used to tug "Producer" out of port on 17
May 2016.
I would greatly appreciate any further information that your administration may
be able to provide on this case, in particular in regard to the assessment of possible
violations of the Regulation.
Yours sincerely,
Esben Lunde Larsen
Ministry of the Environment and Food • Slotsholmsgade 12 • 1216 Copenhagen K Denmark
Phone +45 38 14 21 42 • Fax +45 33 14 50 42 • CVR 12854358 • EAN 5798000862005 • [email protected] •
www.mfvm.dk
 URU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 273: Kopi af miljø- og fødevareministerens korrespondance med den britiske kollega om sagen om North Sea Producer, fra miljø- og fødevareministeren
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JAN. 2017
The Rt Hon Andrea Leadsom MP
From the Secretary of State
Department
for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs
Esben Lunde Larsen
Minister for Environment and Food
Slotsholmsgade 12
1216 Copenhagen
Denmark
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P3JR
T 03459 335577
[email protected]
www.gov.uk/defra
December 2016
Dear
Thank you for your letter of 29 November 2016.
We are concerned at the reports about the beaching of the North Sea Producer in
Bangladesh.
The competent authority for England, the Environment Agency, is currently carrying out
further investigations. At the present time we believe the vessel left the UK as a working
vessel, but we want to reassure ourselves that Maersk, as the original owner of the vessel,
has acted in accordance with the Basel Convention and EU Waste Shipment Regulations.
The Environment Agency is in contact with lawyers from Maersk who are co-operating fully
with their enquiries.
I am sorry that we have no further information to share with you at this time, but the
Environment Agency need to explore all possible avenues for the UK to decide on what, if
any, further actions are required.
Best wishes,
Andrea Leadsom MP
Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
frø
ill:
 URU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 273: Kopi af miljø- og fødevareministerens korrespondance med den britiske kollega om sagen om North Sea Producer, fra miljø- og fødevareministeren
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Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for the Environment and Rural Life
Opportunities Ms. Thérèse Coffey
Nobel House
[email protected]
June 12, 2017
Dear Ms. Thérèse Coffey,
I very much appreciated our talk at the Council meeting on February 28 2017.
Denmark has achieved a remarkable reduction in landfilling over the last twenty
years through a combination of regulation, taxes and focus on establishing
alternative solutions for specific types of waste. I am happy to share our
experiences from this work. I have asked the Danish EPA to contact DEFRA in
order to arrange a meeting between the two.
As mentioned in my letter to Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs Rt. Hon. Andrea Leadsom, of November 29th we have seen accusations in
the Danish press stating that the Danish shipping company Maersk has violated
the Basel Convention and the Regulation on shipments of waste, by selling a vessel
that ended up in Bangladesh for scrapping. The Danish Government is highly
concerned about the case on the North Sea Producer and I therefore want to make
sure, that you have all the information available so far. I am aware that
Shipbreaking Platform has written to Ms. Andrea Leadsom already with their
assessment of the case. Maersk has not revealed to me to whom they sold the
North Sea Producer. If I in any way can be of any help in your investigation please
do not hesitate to ask.
Yours sincerely,
Esben Lunde Larsen
Ministry of the Environment and Food • Slotsholmsgade 12 • 1216 Copenhagen K Denmark
Phone +45 38 14 21 42 • Fax +45 33 14 50 42 • CVR 12854358 • EAN 5798000862005 • [email protected] •
www.mfvm.dk
 URU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 273: Kopi af miljø- og fødevareministerens korrespondance med den britiske kollega om sagen om North Sea Producer, fra miljø- og fødevareministeren
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Final Ministerial Reply
IIII
111 II
Case Number
Date Scanned
 URU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 273: Kopi af miljø- og fødevareministerens korrespondance med den britiske kollega om sagen om North Sea Producer, fra miljø- og fødevareministeren
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Dr Therese Coffey MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State.
Department
for Environment
Food & Rural Affairs
Esben Lunde Larsen
Minister for Environment and Food
[email protected]
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
T 03459 335577
[email protected]
www.gov.uk/defra
Our ref: P0429785/MW
155
June 2017
Jrn-a-
Thank you for your letter of 12 June. I also appreciated our discussions at Environment
Council in February and in April when you visited London.
In her letter to you last December, the previous Secretary of State, Andrea Leadsom,
informed you that our Environment Agency has instigated an investigation into the
circumstances of the vessel 'North Sea Producer' when it left the UK. This investigation is
still on-going.
Our authorities are in regular contact with the NGO Shipbreaking Platform and with
lawyers at Maersk. It would be extremely helpful if your Authorities were able to share with
our Environment Agency any additional information that they feel may be relevant in this
case. Please contact Howard McCann in the first instance by telephone: 44(0)203 025
8705, or email: howard.mccannenvironment-aciencv.ciov.uk.
We will of course keep you informed as our investigation proceeds.
Yours sincerely,
DR THERESE COFFEY MP
 URU, Alm.del - 2016-17 - Bilag 273: Kopi af miljø- og fødevareministerens korrespondance med den britiske kollega om sagen om North Sea Producer, fra miljø- og fødevareministeren
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Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Dr. Thérèse Coffey MP
September 1, 2017
Dear Thérèse
Thank you for your letter of 20 June 2017.
Unfortunately the Danish Ministry of Environment and Food does not have any
additional information regarding the vessel "North Sea Producer". Should
additional information avail we will be sure to keep you informed.
I hope that your Environment Agency has success in their investigation and we too
would appreciate being kept informed as it proceeds.
Yours sincerely,
Esben Lunde Larsen
Ministry of the Environment and Food
•
Slotsholmsgade 12
•
1216 Copenhagen K Denmark
Phone +45 38 14 21 42
•
Fax +45 33 14 50 42
• CVR
12854358
• EAN
5798000862005
•
[email protected]
•
www.mfvm.dk