Correction: Hong Kong Sends Boxes with Hazardous Waste Back to Romania

The Hong Kong authorities have ordered the return of 123 containers to Romania, after it was discovered that these were laden with potentially hazardous waste.

An undisclosed container carrier transported the containers out of Romania which later ended up in Hong Kong.

Earlier media reports indicated that the 2010-built containership OOCL Charleston was involved in the transportation of the material, however, Hong Kong-based container carrier OOCL told World Maritime News that “OOCL (or OOCL Charleston) was not involved in bringing the 123 containers into Hong Kong.”

OOCL added that it “continues to be working very closely with the Hong Kong Environmental Protection Department (EPD) to resolve this matter as quickly as possible.”

“This would include, for example, providing assistance and information to EPD to fully understand how this cargo, declared as Copper Matte and suspected as potentially hazardous waste, may have come to be imported into Hong Kong by the original carrier (not OOCL) and the related parties involved,” OOCL said.

NOTE: The original article was amended at 10:45 am, November 14. Due to an editorial error, the original article stated that the containership OOCL Charleston, and not the original carrier imported the potentially hazardous waste.

World Maritime News Staff