Norwegian Company Fined for Improper Ship Recycling in India
The Norwegian National Authority of Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim) reported yesterday that Altera Shuttle Tankers has agreed to pay a fine of NOK8m ($720,000) in a case involving the beaching of two ships for demolition in India.
Both ships were broken up on a beach in Alang, India, between 2018 and 2020.
Norway has adopted EU rules, and EU-flagged ships must be recycled in approved shipyards. The Indian shipyard that dismantled these ships did not meet EU environmental standards.
Police prosecutor Maria Bache Dahl stated, “Our investigation revealed that the company was aware of the rules and regulations, and chose to scrap its ships in India for profitability. Environmental crime harms both the environment and our economic system.”
The fine was issued in June and was initially rejected by the company. A trial was scheduled for January 2025, but the company has now accepted the fine, avoiding the trial.
Altera is currently being sold to Greece’s Angelicoussis Group.