‘Hard to clean once it hits shore': Scientists warn of oil spill threat after container ship sinks off Kerala
Even as the Indian Navy and Coast Guard race to contain any oil spill from the MSC Elsa 3 container ship, which sank Sunday, marine biology experts said that authorities must try to contain as much oil and pollution as possible offshore, as onshore clean-up has limitations—especially during the monsoon season.
Meanwhile, teams of scientists from the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), under the Agriculture Ministry, have fanned out across three locations on Kerala's coast to collect water and sediment samples to examine onshore impacts.
Deepak Apte, a leading marine biologist and currently director of the non-profit Srushti Conservation Foundation, told The Indian Express that offshore containment—using booms, sprays, and bioremediation—would be key to controlling any potential spill.
As part of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Apte had led the examination of the oil spill caused by the collision between MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia III that occurred on August 7, 2010. The accident caused over 800 tons of oil to leak into the open sea, affecting marine life and lakhs of mangroves along Mumbai and Raigad districts.
'Monsoon has made an onset and the currents are towards the shore. With the monsoon tides and surges, access to shore areas will be difficult for clean ups if the oil slicks reach the coast. A lot will depend on how much quantum of oil is actually reaching the shore. In 2010, we saw that a lot of oil got deposited in the mangroves and mudflats and that is extremely difficult to clean up,' Apte said.
He added, 'Impact of migratory birds, sea turtles nesting on sandy beaches and backwaters will be of concern if the quantum of the spill is large. As far as the site of the incident is concerned, fishes, sea birds will be impacted if there is a layer of oil. Once oil gets into their organs, very little can be done.'
Grinson George, Director of CMFRI, headquartered in Kochi, said that if the spill's extent is large, containment might not be of help. 'There will be short-term impacts, mostly on small-scale and artisanal fishermen who work closer to the coast. It can affect livelihoods. Oil smothering could threaten marine species and impact pelagic fish breeding,' he said.
George said that three teams from CMFRI have been dispatched along the coast of Kerala to carry out field surveys, collect samples, and track any potential spill's ecological impacts. Another team—from INCOIS (Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services) and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)—will also get involved soon.
The CMFRI teams will visit Alappuzha, Ernakulam, and Kollam. They will collect sediment and water samples to estimate oil and grease content and to ascertain their chemical constituents.
A member of one of the teams said on the condition of anonymity that there were no signatures of oil spill reaching the coast yet, and that a research vessel will also be used for sampling when seas are calmer.
Sreenath K R, Director General of the Fishery Survey of India, said that the immediate fuel spill that may have occurred from the container can adversely affect benthic as well as pelagic ecosystems. This refers to deep-sea and open-sea flora and fauna. 'Majority of species breed at this time. The juveniles and larvae are mostly pelagic, and they will be affected, along with plankton. If the oil slick is large, and it spreads towards the southern part of Kerala, there is a chance that corals may get affected,' he said.
Though no oil slick or spill has been observed near Kerala's coastline yet, it is feared that the container's fuel may have leaked into the sea around the site where it capsized. Containers from the sunken ship have also begun to wash ashore and were spotted in Kollam and Alappuzha on Monday. The ship was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with 'hazardous cargo' and 12 with calcium carbide. The ship also had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367 metric tonnes of furnace oil, the Coast Guard said Sunday.
An award-winning journalist with 14 years of experience, Nikhil Ghanekar is an Assistant Editor with the National Bureau [Government] of The Indian Express in New Delhi. He primarily covers environmental policy matters which involve tracking key decisions and inner workings of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. He also covers the functioning of the National Green Tribunal and writes on the impact of environmental policies on wildlife conservation, forestry issues and climate change.
Nikhil joined The Indian Express in 2024. Originally from Mumbai, he has worked in publications such as Tehelka, Hindustan Times, DNA Newspaper, News18 and Indiaspend. In the past 14 years, he has written on a range of subjects such as sports, current affairs, civic issues, city centric environment news, central government policies and politics. ... Read More
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