Successive ship accidents off Kerala raise environmental concerns

Kerala’s coastline has witnessed two major shipping incidents in the past month, each posing serious threats to marine ecosystems and coastal communities.

On May 25, the Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 sank about 38 nautical miles (70 km) off Kochi after developing a list. Although all 24 crew were rescued, the vessel released oil and 100 containers—including 13 with hazardous chemicals and calcium carbide—into the Arabian Sea.

Indian authorities deployed two Coast Guard ships and marine aircraft to deploy dispersants, booms, and skimmers to contain the spill—while advising residents and fishermen to avoid the area.

Cleanup teams recovered 17 containers washed ashore, though manual removal, particularly of plastic nurdles, has been criticized as slow.

The Directorate General of Shipping subsequently launched a dive-enabled salvage operation using the SEAMEC III vessel, intending to cap fuel tanks and remove the remaining oil by July 3, with an ongoing legal investigation and PIL for comprehensive rehabilitation, environmental assessment, and compensation for affected fishers.

Meanwhile, on June 9, the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 caught fire offshore near Beypore after containers exploded. The vessel was carrying over 2,100 tonnes of fuel and 143 hazardous cargo containers, including flammable liquids, toxic chemicals, organometallics, and pesticides.

Though rescue operations saved 18 crew members—four remain missing—multiple containers reportedly fell into the sea during the blaze.

The fire, now around 40% contained, still burns within inner decks and near fuel tanks, preventing closer vessel access due to extreme heat. The Coast Guard, Navy ships, a helicopter, and aircraft have used chemical powder drops and foam to suppress the blaze, while salvage teams attempt to secure a towline to pull the ship further offshore

Ecological impact and concerns
-Oil and chemical pollution: The sinking of MSC ELSA 3 released fuel and toxic cargo into the sea, raising fears for marine life and fishery-dependent communities.

-The Wan Hai 503 carries 16 classes of marine pollutants—such as trichlorobenzene, tetrachloroethylene, naphthalene—and poses a threat if they leak.

-Marine contamination monitoring: Agencies like CMFRI have begun testing seawater, sediment, and fish tissue from Kozhikode to Kochi to detect chemical contamination during the key fish breeding season

-Plastic and container debris: Dozens of containers—filled with plastic pellets, lubricants, and toxic materials—were lost or washed ashore, raising concerns about microplastic contamination and entanglement hazards for marine organisms .

-Fish and coastal community risk: Dispersed chemicals and oil can disrupt breeding grounds, contaminate the food chain, and endanger fishermen’s livelihoods—as seen in previous disasters like the 2021 MV X-Press Pearl incident near Sri Lanka, which triggered long-term ecological harm