Hong Kong Sends OOCL Charleston Back to Romania

The Hong Kong authorities have ordered the 2010-built containership OOCL Charleston to return to Romania, its place of origin, after it was discovered that the vessel was carrying potentially hazardous waste, local media reports.

A total of 123 containers of mining waste, declared as Copper Matte, were aboard the vessel at the time.

The boxship reportedly submitted a notice in which it said that the shipment would be returned to Romanian port of Port of Constanta, however, a sailing scheduled has still not been confirmed.

The vessel’s owner, Hong Kong-based container carrier Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), said that it continues working “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 added.

According to AIS data provided by MarineTraffic, the 50,518 dwt containership is currently moored in the port of Tokyo, Japan.

World Maritime News Staff