Asbestos-containing ship to be towed from Split on Tuesday

After weeks of pressure from activists and state institutions, the asbestos-containing Italian ship Moby Drea is set to be towed from Split on Tuesday.

Mayor Tomislav Šuta confirmed on Sunday that a tugboat was already en route from Malta.

The vessel had originally been slated for renovation at the Brodosplit shipyard, but activists demanded its removal from Croatian waters due to the asbestos panels on board, which would have had to be dismantled and disposed of during the overhaul. Following public outcry, the government ordered the ship’s owners to move the vessel nearly three weeks ago.

Activist Ante Tešija stressed that the protests were crucial in bringing the issue to light.

“Without our call for action, the ship would have slipped through unnoticed, the panels would have been removed quietly, and who knows how many similar old vessels would have followed,” Tešija said.

While the ship’s removal addresses immediate environmental concerns, it does little to ease Brodosplit’s financial woes. The shipyard is once again on the verge of bankruptcy, just three years after narrowly avoiding collapse.

Mayor Šuta has aligned himself with the activists and said he plans to raise the shipyard’s future at a special session of the city council next week. He emphasized that Brodosplit’s owner, Tomislav Debeljak, has not been paying concession fees or local taxes, adding that the shipyard’s current state is “unsustainable.” He has proposed that part of the shipyard’s land be transferred to the city.

“I believe this is the only solution. Split deserves a fresh outlook, added value, and development—while still preserving a modern shipbuilding industry,” Šuta said.

Meanwhile, activists argue that Croatia already has its hands full managing the disposal of its own asbestos waste.