Mechanical failure in ballast tank led to cargo vessel capsize: DG Shipping

Time of India

2 days ago

K
ochi: A preliminary probe by the Directorate General of Shipping has found that a mechanical failure led to the sinking of the Liberian cargo vessel MSC ELSA 3 off Kochi on Sunday.
A detailed investigation is underway to determine the exact cause.
Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan and chief surveyor Ajithkumar Sukumaran told reporters on Wednesday that the preliminary probe showed a technical failure in the ballast tank that led to the accident. The valves in the tank did not function properly, leading to a failure in the ship's electrical system and causing it to list, they said.
The Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) is cooperating with the investigation, and it is unclear how long the investigation procedures will take, the officials said. The ship was operating in compliance with the regulations of the International Maritime Organization, and its insurance documentation was valid. They said the chief officer on the ship was new, and it would be investigated if his lack of experience also contributed to the accident.
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The voyage data recorder, which contains information like the ship's speed, direction, conversations among crew members, and communications with other ships, will be retrieved to obtain more details about the accident, they said.
The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), a statutory authority under DG Shipping, informed that there was no large-scale oil spill from the sunken vessel and the environmental threat it posed was being actively mitigated.
Nautical advisor Capt Abul Kalam Azad and MMD Kochi principal officer Senthil Kumar, who also addressed the news conference, confirmed that the ship was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous material—calcium carbide and rubber chemicals, besides 367.1 tonnes of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and 84.44 tonnes of marine diesel fuel.
The team said the oil recovery operation would be completed by July 3.
Azad said oil recovery from the sunken vessel, retrieval of drifting containers and removal of beached containers would be their priority. A multi-beam sonar survey has been initiated to locate and assess the wreckage of the ship, and experts have planned capping of venting points.
As many as 50 beached containers were identified by Wednesday, and the priority is to recover all of them within the next 48 hours. None of these containers contained hazardous material, and they were placed on the ship's deck, they said.
Hazardous materials are present in 13 containers; 12 of these contain calcium carbide while one contains rubber chemicals. Of the 13, eight were inside the ship. The remaining five could be either on the ship's deck or on the seabed near the ship, they said.
The officials said over 100 containers were reported to have fallen into the sea. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has deployed ships and aircraft for surveillance, and dispersants were being used under the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan.
An onsite team in Kochi continues to monitor and manage pollution risks. High-range drones and precision scanning equipment are being used to detect and contain oil spills.
A total of 108 personnel have been deployed for shoreline clean-up and container retrieval operations. In addition to these, 38 personnel have been deployed for emergency response in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha and Kollam. These teams will work in coordination with the district disaster management authorities and district collectors.
The shipping company has been instructed to establish a damage and liability claim desk to address the losses and liabilities related to the shipwreck.