Kerala govt declares Liberian cargo shipwreck a state-specific disaster

Four days after the Liberia-flagged cargo ship MSC ELSA3 sank off its Coast, the Government in the Southern Indian state of Kerala has declared it a State Disaster. The cargo ship, which sank on 25th May, barely 30 km away from the Alappuzha coast, was carrying over 400 metric tons of fuel, more than 643 containers, which included those with hazardous cargo. Throughout this week, shipping containers and plastic pellets have been washed ashore along Kerala's scenic beaches.

The maritime incident has raised serious environmental concerns, including the potential for an Oil spill and drifting of debris, including cargo, along Kerala's coastline, said the Kerala Government. "Considering the potentially serious environmental, social, and economic impact of the ship wreckage, the Government hereby declares the wreckage of ship M/s ELSA 3 in the Arabian Sea 14.6 nautical miles off the Kerala coast as a State-Specific disaster," read a statement from Kerala's Disaster Management Department.

The declaration of State Disaster indicates the severity of the incident, as Kerala is a popular hub for tourists, is rich in marine life and biodiversity, offers a wide range of seafood, and has among the highest seafood-consuming populations in India. This Disaster has also occurred at a time when the Southwest monsoon is active in the region, causing rough seas, harsh winds and heavy rainfall, which can potentially carry the debris far and wide.

Here's how Indian Coast Guard responded to the environmental Disaster

Since the morning hours of Sunday, 25th May, when the Liberian-flagged cargo vessel MSC ELSA3 sank off the Kerala coast, Indian Coast Guard(ICG) assets have been combating the resultant oil spill and marine pollution. Oil spills are major maritime disasters that have the potential to cause serious damage to the economy, biodiversity of the affected region.

According to the ICG, within 2-3 hours of the cargo vessel’s sinking, their surveillance aircraft detected the presence of an oil slick at the site.

Following this, ICG ship Saksham, already on standby in Pollution Response (PR) configuration, was immediately deployed to begin counter-pollution operations. In parallel, a Dornier aircraft was launched for aerial assessment and the dispersal of Oil Spill Dispersant (OSD) across a wide area.

On Sunday, the oil slick was observed drifting in an east-southeast direction at an estimated speed of 3.6 kmph. The prevailing active Southwest monsoon, with rough seas and strong winds, presented challenging conditions for responders.

Despite the adverse conditions, ICG personnel continued their operations with resilience, navigating dangerous waters littered with floating containers and ensuring safe diversion of all merchant traffic away from the affected zone. By Sunday noon, the spill was assessed to have spread over an area of approximately

two square kilometres.

Further, more than 100 containers were observed floating near the site, with some breaking apart and their contents scattered in adjacent waters. Mariners have been issued advisories to maintain a sharp lookout and exercise caution, as metallic shipping containers coming in contact with a vessel's propeller or other systems could cause serious damage.

ICG continues intensive surveillance and spill mitigation through air operations and deployment of Oil Spill dispersant Chemicals using specialised equipment. Two ICG Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for ongoing monitoring, assessment, and pollution response. In addition, the ICG has mobilised ICG Ship Samudra Prahari, a specialised Pollution Response Vessel carrying significant quantities of Oil-dispersing chemicals, along with additional OPVs in Pollution Response configuration.

On Sunday, a coordination meeting was convened by the Directorate General of Shipping, bringing together key stakeholders, including ICG, vessel owners, managers, Kerala state authorities, and others to implement an integrated response strategy. Ship managing firm MSC has appointed T&T Salvage for cleanup and recovery operations, including container and cargo retrieval and oil removal from the wreck.

As per directives under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), Kochi, has issued a warning to the sunken vessel’s owners regarding pollution liability. The ICG has also advised the state administration to prepare for shoreline cleanup operations and to caution local communities against handling any debris or cargo that may wash ashore.