Asbestos scandal engulfs Italian ferry after controversial Croatia refurbishment plan

September 2, 2025, by Sara Kosmajac

The Italy-flagged ferry Moby Drea, once cleared by Italian authorities for refurbishment in Croatia, has re-emerged as a controversial dismantling case after protests from Croatian civil society organizations exposed its heavy asbestos contamination, raising questions over regulatory oversight and the vessel’s true fate.

As informed, news that a fifty-year-old Italian ferry was bound for Croatia in the summer of 2025 was poorly received by those living in the Brodosplit shipyard area. Information released by the vessel’s owners revealed that the unit was being sent from Genoa, Italy, to Split, Croatia, to be refitted before being scrapped at a different facility in another country.

It was soon confirmed that workers at Brodosplit would nonetheless be removing the asbestos-laden fireproofing walls, with estimates showing there were potentially at least 350 tonnes of this dangerous mineral, the use of which Croatia banned in 2006, on board the ship.

According to the Belgium-based NGO Shipbreaking Platform, the subsequent public outrage in Split built up for weeks, with the civic initiative Zdravi Split leading protests to demand that Moby Drea leave Croatia, as it was feared that the removal of asbestos could expose workers and residents to ‘unjustifiable’ risks.

It is understood that shipyard spokesperson Josip Jurišić said that “all necessary measures” were taken for the work to be carried out without any dangers to the workers.

Nevertheless, in response to the matter, Croatia’s Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure released an order that the ferry leave within seven days. The deadline was reportedly extended to fifteen days, whereas the most recent reports suggest the ship is finally scheduled to depart today (September 2).

As the NGO Shipbreaking Platform has further highlighted, open letters sent to the government have cautioned that asbestos removal constitutes ship recycling, which is stringently regulated under European Union (EU) laws as well as the Basel Convention.

Moreover, since the Brodosplit yard, which is said to be engrossed in rumors regarding a potential filing for bankruptcy, is not licensed for performing scrapping operations, the vessel in question should never have been allowed to enter Croatia in the first place, both the Belgian organization and the open letters stressed.

“The ship owner and Italian authorities, as the flag state, now have a responsibility to ensure the vessel leaves Croatia without delay and is recycled at a certified European facility capable of managing its hazardous materials in full compliance with the law,” Benedetta Mantoan, Policy Officer at the NGO Shipbreaking Platform, commented.

As the organization has warned, Türkiye is a likely destination for scrapping, though this country should not be considered a “responsible option” given numerous instances of criticism regarding unsafe practices, especially when it comes to the handling and disposal of toxic materials such as asbestos.

Essentially, per the platform, sending a ship with nearly 400 tonnes of asbestos to these facilities could further endanger the health of workers and surrounding communities.

It was only recently that Türkiye was under renewed scrutiny concerning safety practices, transparency, and environmental oversight.

To be specific, in July 2025, the NGO Shipbreaking Platform released a report about the situation at Aliağa, where controversies about the sale of shipbreaking yards, the arrival of a UK naval vessel and a fire aboard the decommissioned FSO Sloug drew increased public concern and criticism.

Previously, namely back in 2022, the EU had removed two Turkish yards from its list of approved ship recycling facilities, citing a lack of transparency and safety worries. That same year, workers at twenty-two sites entered into a strike, demanding better working conditions.

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