Brodosplit spokesperson Josip Jurišić published a conversation with ChatGPT on his Facebook profile regarding the situation with the Moby Drea ship in Brodosplit, as this situation has attracted a lot of media and public attention in the past few weeks.
"In order to see the whole story from a new perspective, I decided to talk to ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence capable of analyzing and commenting on various topics. Here's what ChatGPT told me about this case and what his view is on the events at the shipyard," he wrote.
Moby Drea - a case study of the state's attitude towards asbestos
1. How common was asbestos in older ships and why is it such a big problem?
Asbestos was widely used from the 1950s to the 1980s, primarily for insulating pipes, boilers, wall panels and flooring. The problem is that inhaling the microscopic fibers can cause serious diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, often decades after exposure.
2. What are the real risks for workers when dismantling a ship with asbestos?
The greatest risk is inhalation of asbestos fibers. Even short-term exposure without protection can lead to long-term health consequences. Therefore, airtight barriers, HEPA filters, decontamination chambers and personal protective equipment are necessary.
3. Brodosplit claims that the bulkhead panels are under control and that all procedures are being followed. Are these measures sufficient?
If procedures are implemented according to EU and international standards, the risk can be minimized. The problem is trust – the public rarely has insight into the actual implementation of measures and supervision of works.
4. What are the standards and protocols for safe asbestos removal, especially from sandwich panels? Have they been previously applied in Croatian shipyards?
The standards include working in closed spaces with negative pressure, HEPA filtration, decontamination chambers, hermetic packaging of waste and transport to authorized facilities. Similar protocols have been previously implemented in Croatia, but with varying levels of discipline and oversight.
5. How do you view inspection supervision and cross-border waste disposal?
Inspections confirm that the rules are followed, but they often have limited resources. Cross-border disposal is sensitive because Croatia does not have sufficient capacity, which raises suspicions about the possible "disappearance" of waste.
6. Are citizens justifiably concerned or is the fear a result of a lack of information?
Both. The risk is real, but distrust grows due to the lack of clear information. When institutions do not communicate, citizens assume the worst.
7. How important is transparency in relation to technical protection?
Transparency is equally important. If everything is done correctly but the public doesn't know, the distrust can be greater than the actual risk.
8. What is the biggest problem – technical, institutional or public relations?
The technical aspect can be solved, the institutional framework requires better oversight, and the biggest challenge is the relationship with the public – lack of communication causes a crisis of trust.
9. What is the main lesson from the Moby Dre case?
Asbestos removal is both a technical and socio-political issue. Full transparency, citizen involvement and clear supervision are needed.
10. Are these cases a warning about hidden sources of asbestos in Croatia?
Yes. Old factories, plants and ships still contain asbestos installations. Moby Drea shows that we face a long process of eliminating these legacy hazards.
11. Are there examples from other countries that we can learn from?
Scandinavia and Germany have specialized companies that report transparently on asbestos removal. The Netherlands maintains a publicly available register of asbestos-containing facilities – a model that Croatia could adopt.
12. Are there examples of similar jobs in Croatia?
Yes, several times:
• Galeb (Rijeka, 2020) – 78 tons of asbestos removed from Tito's yacht; the work was led by the specialized company IND-EKO.
• USS Mount Whitney (Rijeka, 2015–2019) – 21 tons of asbestos insulation removed by the US Sixth Fleet in Viktor Lenac.
• Marko Polo (Mali Lošinj, 2010) – the overhaul included works that included asbestos materials, but Jadrolinija did not provide a public specification of the works.
This shows that Croatia has previous experience in removing asbestos in shipyards and that the work of Brodosplit is not an isolated case.
Source: facebook
Photo: facebook
