Brazilian federal prosecutors in Para state have initiated a lawsuit demanding the removal of the Haidar ship’s hull and oily residues, which sank a decade ago near Vila do Conde port, a key hub for live cattle shipments. The wreck resulted in the death of 5,000 cattle and a spill of 700,000 liters of oil.
Prosecutors highlighted that a subsequent spill occurred in 2018, indicating that remaining residues pose an ongoing environmental threat. They estimate that around 215,000 liters of oil, diesel, fuel, and lubricant could still be trapped in the vessel, raising concerns about potential catastrophic water pollution from future spills.
The sunken ship still contains the carcasses of cattle that drowned in 2015. Prosecutors are seeking at least 5 million reais (approximately $936,873) in compensation, along with 91,400 reais for environmental damages linked to the 2018 spill. Defendants include federal and state agencies, as well as the companies that owned the ship, though they have yet to comment on the lawsuit.
Para, Brazil’s largest live cattle-exporting state, exported 370,000 cattle worth $344 million in the year ending in July, primarily to Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria. Notably, Beefpacker Minerva, which owned the cattle on the Haidar, is not a defendant in the case.
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