Threat posed by MSC ELSA-3 and Wan Hai ships still remains; DG Shipping submits affidavit

KOCHI: The Directorate General of Shipping informed the High Court through an affidavit that the threat posed by the two ships involved in the accident off the Kerala coast still remains. These ships pose a danger to the marine ecosystem. There is a possibility of oil leakage from the MSC ELSA-3, which is submerged at a depth of 51 meters in the sea. The vessel Wan Hai 503, located 58 nautical miles from Azhikkal port, carries 143 dangerous containers.

The affidavit was submitted in connection with a petition filed by Congress leader T.N. Prathapan and others demanding compensation for fishermen who lost their livelihood due to the ship accidents.

The MSC ELSA-3 contains 450 metric tons of bunker oil, 367 tons of very low sulfur fuel oil, and 64 tons of diesel. Some containers on board also hold flammable materials. Plastic nurdles (raw plastic pellets) pose an additional environmental threat. Thirteen containers have environmentally hazardous materials, and 70 containers contain plastic, which could disrupt the marine ecosystem. A workforce of 700 people has been deployed to clear nurdles washed ashore. Efforts are ongoing to remove cargo from the ship, and 60 containers had already been moved to the port by the 16th of the month. It was also clarified that the containers that washed ashore did not contain dangerous substances.

2,000 tons of fuel oil
The fire on the Wan Hai ship was caused by hazardous cargo. In addition to the 143 dangerous containers, it also contains 2,000 tons of heavy fuel oil and 240 tons of diesel. As of last week, about 40% of the fire had been extinguished.

Rs 77 crore claim to be filed soon
Following the MSC ELSA-3 accident, the Kerala government has informed that it will soon submit a Rs 77.08 crore compensation claim to the Directorate General of Shipping. Out of this, Rs 54.93 crore will be used to support affected fishermen, while Rs 22.15 crore represents expenses incurred by the state. This was stated in an affidavit submitted by Sriram Sambashiva Rao, Special Secretary of the State Environment Department. The state government also plans to file an admiralty suit against the MSC company in the High Court.