The shadowy world of abandoned oil tankers

(bbc.com)

41 points | by 1659447091 2 hours ago

6 comments

  • bigwheels 24 minutes ago
    Reminds me of the Shipbreakers article from 3 years ago:

    https://www.chemistryworld.com/features/the-toxic-tide-of-sh...

    The toxic tide of ship breaking https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34905496 - 30 comments

    Unforgettable.

  • ggm 14 minutes ago
    This problem is one of the reasons Maritime unions worldwide have been significant and strong players in national labour relations.
  • burkaman 16 minutes ago
    This kind of thing seems to be pretty core to the oil industry business model. In the US when they don't want to deal with an oil well anymore they have whatever fake shell company owns it declare bankruptcy and then they don't have to deal with cleaning it up (https://www.propublica.org/article/oil-orphan-wells-cleanup-...).
  • BLKNSLVR 39 minutes ago
    This is another one of those things that, having put no thought into it as something that has sat in the background of life since childhood, I had figured was better organised/protected against malicious, negligent and/or fraudulent behaviour.

    The world is far more of a chaotic jungle than the facade makes it appear. There is yet much opportunity for mischief for those who dare and have the resources and lack of moral compass.

  • ToucanLoucan 45 minutes ago
    Before I read, I’m going to guess some combination of shady business bullshit and global instability.

    reads

    Yup.

    • SanjayMehta 26 minutes ago
      BBC

      Mandatory references to Russia, China, India?

      Yup.

      • smadge 6 minutes ago
        The Russia reference doesn’t seem forced since the explanation for increased abandonments is attempts to skirt sanctions against Russian.
      • IlIlIlIIlIlIlI 16 minutes ago
        Nothing about North Korea?? Ahh!!!
  • jaco6 58 minutes ago
    [dead]