The captain of the port of Luanda, Baptista Vunge André, told Lusa that there are several requests from companies interested in participating in the process, which are being forwarded to the Maritime and Port Institute of Angola.
According to Baptista Vunge André, the project is under study to be put into practice, and the start and end time of the operation must be determined after the signing of the service provision contract for the company that wins the tender.
The process stems from an orientation, last September, by the Ministry of Transport, which focuses on exposed ferrous and non-ferrous waste, with emphasis on dangerous ones, such as asbestos, a substance that destroys the ozone layer.
For this purpose, a multisectoral commission was created, constituted by the Ministries of Transport, Industry, Culture, Tourism and Environment, the port of Luanda, among others, which will be in charge of the assumptions for the fulfillment of that orientation.
Asked about the destination to be given to the material collected, Baptista Vunge André replied that "it is presumed that it is for export", and there is also a clause that requires that a certain percentage be attributed to the national steel industry.
The captain of the port of Luanda said that there are many vessels along the bay of Luanda, a situation that is repeated along the entire coast of the country, which are state owned and private.
According to the official, these residues have been in the sea for many years and range from artefacts of the colonial war, abandoned oil debris, coastal vessels, long-haul ships and others.
The danger to navigation and the community, the impediment to the implementation of industrial maritime infrastructure and tourism, and maritime pollution are some of the consequences of the presence of these "scrap ships" at sea, pointed out Baptista Vunge André.
The guidance of the Ministry of Transport determines that the collection must be made by mechanical means, the handling of which must prevent waste, material and environmental damage, requiring the transport of waste to be carried out by sea or land, with appropriate means.
"As indicated by the Instituto Marítimo Portuário Angolano, the waste must be sent to safe places, which do not have consequences for the environment", reads the document.
Companies must adopt procedures that contribute to good practices in carrying out the work and have the appropriate means and in good technical condition for removal, such as trucks, tugs, boats, and other auxiliary means.
