After the fraudulent sale by a Finish shipowner of the old car ferry Onyx, which is still immobilised in Brest today following an engine breakdown and its rescue by the Abeille Bourbon it is now the roll of the Pentalina B sold by an English shipowner to Cape Verde. The Pentalina B was built in 1970 and was scheduled to operate in Cape Verde as a passenger and cargo ship. Fortunately a water leakage in the engine-room off the coast of Finistère in Brittany halted its southward journey. For the time being the ship is avoiding the fate of the Joola in Senegal (2,000 deads in September 2002). The Pentalina B was also towed by the Abeille Bourbon. Car ferries sold by developed countries to Third World countries are responsible for thousands of deadly casualties.

Within the framework of “Grenelle de la Mer” and following a proposition by Robin des Bois a commitment was taken on ceasing the sale of old European passenger ships outside of Europe. These end of life vessels riddled with asbestos and other pollutants with battered hulls must be demolished in Europe. Re-selling them to continue operating is a crime.

Robin des Bois is asking the Ministry of Ecology and the General Secretary of Marine Affairs to take responsibility and implement measures in this vital area.

Robin des Bois is asking that the Onyx on the one hand and the Pentalina B on the other hand be towed back to their country of origin to the countries expense. Brest should not become a transit port for potentially dangerous vessels. Nor should it become a repair platform which ultimately exposes workers to sanitary risks, if these floating wrecks are demolished in Asia. Passengers are also exposed to the risk of shipwrecks again if these same floating wrecks continue to operate in third world countries.

Note d'information du 25 novembre 2009 sur l'Onyx (French)

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