Frida - mysterious hazardous cargo / any info from Southampton ?...

[polsteam]

there are some rumours (but of course this might be only hype and rumours), that Frida carried some very nasty substances in big-bags, allegedly from Ukraine, where allegedly loading operations were kind of "undercover"...  there are allegedly / reportedly "strange" safety measures during unloading at ship's current destination...

however, meanwhile (before coming to the Baltic), the ship is understood to be calling at the port of Southampton...

was the cargo loaded in Southampton (instead of - allegedly - Ukraine) and has anyone got any idea, what cargo it was?... were there any inspections / objections against the ship in Southapton ?...

http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1375343

[ChasB46]

If its Frida 9344368 ..has been at Gdansk since 3rd Nov. Still there.
Nothing shown for So'ton port arrivals up to the 11th Nov.

[davidships]

Cannot find any record of FRIDA calling at Southampton.

12/10 sailed Oktyabrsk, Ukraine
21/10 passed Gibraltar Straits
29/10 (about midday) passed Dover Straits

But, to feed to rumour machine a bit:

AIS seems to have been turned off in Channel transit - apparently turned on abeam Boulogne as approached Dover Strait.

[Allan RO]

Hi Polsteam

I am hon. sec. of local Solent Maritime Society and keep a full database of Southampton shipping movements.  I can confirm we have had no visit from a Frida.

Now going to your surmise re odd cargo - we did in January have 3 loads of material come in, accoring to Southampton VTS, from Istanbul, but as we have no trade into Southampton from there, this was clearly either inaccurate data or mis-information.   I do know that the 3 shipments came in from Ukraine, and comprised what was euphamistically described as contaminated soil.  I have seen photos of large polybags on the quayside with white protective-suited workers checking them out.  There were onward transported for incineration in UK.  No doubt had the info got out we would have seen a significant Greenpeace presence.

The vessels were the Aressa 78/1,826 ex - Baltiyskiy-103, arived 4 January, sailed 9th January - sea for orders given.

On 11th January, the Celia 07/3,610 arrived, sailing on 22 Jan for Koping.

Izborsk 78/1,590 ex Ladoga-13, arrived 9 Feb after sitting at St. Helens Anchorage since 5 January, presumably awaiting clearance.  After offloading she sailed for Brunsbuttel on 12 Feb. 

If Frida does arrive, I will let you know.

all the best

Allan

[polsteam]

Thank you all who replied in this thread for helpul and valuable input.

Local news portal researched softly the matter and according to general statements* from officials everything was OK and under control by environmental authorities and waste was brought to be incinerated in proper way by a company specializing in this and having proper equipment...

I just wonder, why should not we incinerate only what we have to (waste from our own backyard) and why we "import" additional waste for utilisation ?...  The incineration plant may be professional and may minimise environmental impact, but emissions from incineration plant is not only the flowery scent I suppose ?...


I thought the ship was in Southampton before Poland from this:

Port history   
2011 November 8th, 22:00:19 UTC   Koping/sweden
2011 November 2nd, 08:00:43 UTC   Gdansk
2011 October 31st, 16:00:02 UTC   Kiel/germany
2011 October 25th, 22:30:23 UTC   Southampton
2011 September 24th, 15:00:56 UTC   Oktyabrskiy(ukraine)
2011 September 24th, 15:00:51 UTC   Oktyabrskiy(ukraine)
2011 September 24th, 15:00:41 UTC   Oktyabrskiy(ukraine)
2011 September 24th, 15:00:13 UTC   Oktyabrskiy(ukraine)
2011 September 23rd, 20:00:09 UTC   Oktyabrskiy (ukrain(
2011 September 23rd, 20:00:07 UTC   Oktyabrsk

... at http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1375343


Regards,

Peter
____________
* replies / statements avoiding details

[Allan RO]

Hi Peter

I can understand why you would have thought she had been to Southampton, but there is no evidence for any visit.  She never appeared on the Southampton VTS Shipping Movements and never showed up on any AIS traces.  Perhaps she just reported her passing at that point.  I have noted Gibraltar appearing in similar port calling schedules, and AIS shows the vessels have never stopped there.

As for importing hazardous waste from other countries, I guess someone is just getting a little richer through doing it !!   'Where there's muck there's money', is an old English saying, and in this case it is most certainly true.

all the best

Allan

[davidships]

There is something odd, though not necessarily suspicious.  Although I don't know the time FRIDA passed Gibraltar on 21/10, she passed Dover Straits 7

[davidships]

Looks like FRIDA had some sort of slow passage.  Now have data on AIS tracks on Spanish coast.  After passing Gibraltar 0015 on 21/10 she made slow progress, with speed dropped to 4-6kn for most of the Iberian coast.  She wasn't clear of Finisterre until early on 24/10, a day behind expectations and maybe she lost more time across Biscay.

Interestingly, FRIDA used the "dangerous goods" lane in the Finisterre separation zone.

Anyway it is clear that she was nowhere near Southampton on 25/10.  It would be nice to have an interpretation of the alleged call there from ShipTrax!

David