Brazilian Prosecutors Sue Demanding Removal of Sunken Livestock Carrier

A decade after a livestock carrier sank at the dock in the Brazilian Amazon region, public prosecutors are suing, demanding the immediate removal of the hulk, remediation efforts, and further compensation for the damages. The sinking of the vessel named Haidar in October 2015 is considered one of the worst environmental disasters in Brazil’s history, and prosecutors are contending that the remediation and recovery have been bungled.

The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in the Para region of Brazil filed the suit on November 25, requesting an urgent decision from the court. They are asking the court to order the defendants to present, within 30 days, a preventive plan for the removal of the oil still aboard the ship. They also want the court within 60 days to order the removal of the hulk, including the oily residue still aboard and the skeletal remains of as many as 5,000 cattle that were aboard the ship when it went down.

The case is also demanding an updated environmental assessment of the waters and sediment of the Para River near the Port of Villa do Conde, where the vessel sank. They also believe a new environmental remediation plan is required. The prosecutors are asking the court to award nearly $1 million due to the damage to the quality of life, tourism, and fishing. They are also calling for $17,000 award for a new fund for the region.

The Haidar was alongside loading cattle for export when the vessel began to list early on October 6, 2015. According to the reports, the captain suspended loading, but the animals became scared and moved to the side of the ship, increasing the list. Later reports blamed tidal conditions on the river and found that side ports had become stuck on two fenders on the dock. Stuck, the ship was not able to move with the tide and rolled onto its side.

Some of the cattle were able to escape the vessel, and a few were saved, but many drowned. The carcasses of as many as 1,000 cattle were retrieved from the river or washed ashore on beaches about 2.5 miles from the wreck. The remains of as many as 3,900 cattle are believed to be trapped in the ship.

The Haidar, which was built in 1994, was nearly 6,500 dwt and operated by a shipping company based in Lebanon. The company, along with the local agents, is named in the suit along with Brazil’s federal government and the state government.

The suit contends that there are approximately 700.000 liters of oil and residue trapped aboard the ship. A worst-case scenario in the environmental control plan estimates there are 215,000 liters of diesel, fuel, and lubricants aboard the ship. After the initial sinking, there was a new leak from the ship in 2018, and a further complaint in 2022.

The suit points to flaws in previous attempts at remediation. In 2019, a contract was awarded for the removal of the hulk, but it was later terminated without the work having been undertaken. The suit says the efforts resulted in “inadequate technical measures” that failed to completely remove the fuel from the hulk.

That was part of the outcome from a February 2018 agreement, which also provided $1.4 million to the families affected in the region and $560,000 for a community fund.

The suit reports that swimming remains prohibited in the area and that bars, restaurants, and guesthouses have all closed. It was once a popular tourist destination, and in addition, the residents are unable to fish the waters.

Earlier this year, BNAmericas reported that Norsk Hydro was also anxious to clear the dock to increase capacity for ore handling. The company was reportedly investigating the cost of removing the hulk, which remains submerged at the pier.