MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck: Threat of oil spill into sea lingers as new seepage detected
Though the underwater salvage operation of the container ship MSC Elsa 3 that sank off the Alappuzha coast on May 25 began on Monday (June 9), the threat of an oil spill into the sea from the ship still lingers off the coast of Kerala. The shipping owner Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) had roped in the Singapore-based T&T Salvage for the underwater salvage operation.
The team that mobilised diving support vessel SEAMEC III and divers to carry out an air-diving operation sealed a leak from the sounding pipe of fuel oil tank 22 successfully using layered capping comprising plastic and polyester cloth. Separately, a loose cap on another sounding pipe was tightened by divers, effectively stopping a minor leak. However, a new case of seepage has been detected from either main engine lube oil tank 25 or 26. Now, the divers are preparing to carry out the sealing procedures, said the latest situation report released by the government agencies.
The detection of minor seepage from one of the main lube oil tanks underlines the importance of continuing the sustained dive operations. As dive time per diver is limited to about 30 minutes, the scaling-up of diving personnel is necessary to meet the operational timeline amid an increasingly narrow weather window, said the report. Further, the oil removal from Elsa 3 and underwater recovery can essentially begin only after this ongoing diving operation.
Onshore, container salvage continues with 56 containers delivered to the port and four more under active recovery. A survey is scheduled to verify the status of two containers previously visible near the Kollam stretch.
Meanwhile, the volunteers continued beach clean-up exercises across Thiruvananthapuram and Kannyakumari.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
42 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Ship on fire: salvage operation delayed as salvor's vessel runs out of fuel
Even as the authorities have been struggling to contain the raging fire onboard the Singapore-flagged container vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire off the Kerala coast on June 9, the vessel, Offshore Warrior, deployed by the owners of the ship to mitigate the imminent danger of a possible explosion had to leave the site of the accident after running short of fuel, delaying the entire emergency response operations. In a letter addressed to Wan Hai International Pvt Ltd, Singapore, on Wednesday, Director General of Shipping (DGS) Shyam Jagannatan said the vessel, Offshore Warrior, did not have adequate fuel onboard to continue the operation and had departed for Kochi for refuelling. The letter said while it was understood that the salvors (T&T Salvage) appointed by the owners of the ship might have positioned the vessel at the accident site to secure the salvage contract, the concealment of critical operational information was entirely unacceptable. Though the Indian Coast Guard had successfully managed to connect a towline to the burning vessel, the absence of Offshore Warrior was expected to delay the towing of MV Wan Hai 503 away from the Indian coast, which could have serious implications given the prevailing conditions, the DGS noted. Further, it was observed that Offshore Warrior that was positioned at the seat of the fire had limited firefighting capability and lacked foam to contain the spread of fire, making the vessel unsuitable for effectively addressing the rapidly evolving and critical situation, he said. Serious concerns Despite the severity of the incident, no firefighting assets or tugs had been deployed, no equipment had reached the site and necessary salvage assets still remained absent. The response initiated by the owners and salvors to mitigate the imminent danger raised serious concerns. Stressing the need to immediately deploy suitable firefighting and salvage equipment, trained personnel, and support assets by the vessel owners and their appointed salvors, the DGS made it clear that any further delay in the process was an unacceptable risk to human life, the marine environment, and navigation safety. The Shipping Directorate would not hesitate to initiate criminal liability proceedings and other punitive measures against the parties concerned as they were responsible for launching effective measures. The owners, salvors, and other personnel concerned would be held responsible under applicable legal provisions for failure to take prompt and appropriate action in a maritime casualty, he said.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Owners of sunken ship given 48 hours to complete extraction of oil leaking into sea
Authorities have given the salvors and owners of a vessel that sank last month off the Kerala coast 48 hours to begin and complete the extraction of oil leaking into the sea, warning that failure to act will lead to civil and criminal charges. The Liberian-flagged ship, MSC Elsa 3, sank approximately 14.6 nautical miles off Thottappally in Kerala's Alappuzha district. The notice was issued on Wednesday evening, sources said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kulkas yang belum Terjual dengan Harga Termurah (Lihat harga) Cari Sekarang Undo The vessel went down carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide. It was also loaded with 84.44 metric tonne of diesel and 367.1 metric tonne of furnace oil, according to the Ministry of Defence. The vessel sank on May 24 with oil still trapped inside. Live Events In its latest update, the Directorate General of Shipping said that both state and central government agencies had issued a final notice demanding urgent action. Officials say delays in starting saturation diving--the recommended method for safely removing the oil--have seriously disrupted the operation's timeline. The Director General of Shipping stated that, given the seriousness of the environmental threat and the narrowing operational window due to the approaching monsoon, the salvors and shipowners have now been given a final ultimatum to begin and complete the oil extraction within the next 48 hours. "Failure to comply will result in both civil and criminal liability being imposed under applicable Indian laws, and legal proceedings will be initiated before the competent courts without further notice," it said. Although divers have managed to seal several leak points, minor seepage continues from one tank, raising fears of a larger spill. Divers are working from the vessel SEAMAC III in round-the-clock shifts, but worsening weather due to the incoming monsoon is putting pressure on teams to complete the task swiftly. The dive team has been expanded to speed up the work, and more equipment is being moved in. Officials say completing the sealing and quickly transitioning to oil extraction is now urgent, before rough seas make further diving impossible. "Divers successfully sealed multiple bunker vents and surrounding pipes that were contributing to oil seepage, with no active overflow currently observed. Continuous monitoring is underway for minor seepage detected from the sounding pipe of Fuel Oil Tank No 22," the DG shipping said. "Sounding pipe leaks have been contained using layered sealing (plastic and polyester materials), and an additional loosened cap was tightened and secured to halt minor leakage. Centre Tank No 24 has been confirmed secure; precautionary sealing will be undertaken to eliminate any residual risk," it said. On land, most containers that drifted ashore after the incident have been recovered. Drone surveys are still under way to identify any remaining debris. Cleanup teams and volunteers have collected over 2,500 kilograms of plastic pellets, or nurdles, daily along beaches in Kanyakumari (Tamil Nadu) and Thiruvananthapuram. Authorities are arranging temporary storage and final disposal of the recovered nurdles, with help from pollution experts and customs officials. A beach-cleaning vacuum system is being tested and may be deployed soon. Meanwhile, Kerala Police have registered a case of rash navigation against the ship's owner, master, and crew. An FIR registered by the Fort Kochi Coastal Police Station states that the owners, master, and crew handled the vessel--which was carrying combustible and explosive cargo dangerous to human life and property--in a negligent manner, leading to its sinking on 24-25 May near Alappuzha district.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Firefighting Efforts Intensify On Singapore Vessel After Kerala Coast Blast
Kochi/Mumbai: Indian Coast Guard and other agencies are working around the clock to contain a large fire aboard the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel MV Wan Hai 503, which caught fire earlier this week after a container exploded off Kerala coast while en route to Mumbai from Colombo. "Around 40 per cent of the fire has now been brought under control. The vessel remains afloat but unmanned and is slowly drifting southeast in the Arabian Sea," according to updates shared by the Director General of Shipping. In a major step forward, a team of salvage experts and Coast Guard divers managed to board the vessel. This included the Salvage Master, who is now monitoring the situation from onboard. Efforts now focus on keeping the vessel away from the coast and fully extinguishing the fire, the authorities said. The firefighting efforts, focused on the ship's forward cargo holds, are being led by Indian Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari and Samarth. They are using foam and boundary cooling to stop the fire from spreading. "Hydrocarbon vapours have been observed by the salvage master, indicating possible heat transfer near fuel tanks. Continuous onboard assessments are being conducted to monitor any escalation," the DG Shipping said. At the same time, Rajdoot, Arnvesh, Abhinav, and ICGS 513 are carrying out search and rescue operations in the area. Of the 22 crew members on board the vessel, 18 were rescued while four remain missing. After an earlier attempt failed, a tow connection was successfully made between the cargo ship and the Emergency Towing Vessel Water Lily, as well as a Coast Guard asset. This was achieved through joint efforts by the Marine Emergency Response Centre (MERC) and ICG personnel. Authorities say there is still risk due to hazardous cargo and hydrocarbon vapours near the fuel tanks. However, officials from the Directorate General of Shipping say stabilisation work is ongoing, and daily meetings are being held with all involved, including the Indian Navy, maritime agencies, and the ship's owners. The Coast Guard also flew in five team members-- including three salvage experts and two rescue divers --to support the operation. Extra firefighting supplies, including more foam and dry chemical powder, are being sent in to assist the crew battling the blaze, officials said.
