Latest news with #MSCElsa3
United News of India
a day ago
- General
- United News of India
Oil spill from sunk Liberian ship, ICG monitoring situation
Chennai, May 31 (UNI) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is closely monitoring the situation arising out of oil spill and plastic pellets in the sea along Tamil Nadu coasts after a Liberian ship sank off Kochi coast. A defence release here on Saturday evening said the Liberian-flagged Container Ship MSC Elsa 3 had sank off Kochi which was carrying 640 containers and #POL. "ICG had coordinated #Rescue of entire crew but numerous containers, debris, and plastic pellets (nurdles) were spilled at sea", it said. "Team #ICG East have been keeping close watch on the situation and coordinating response to these nurdles/other debris that have washed ashore along Tamil Nadu coasts at Colachel & Kanyakumari. A 40Ft Container has also washed ashore at Kodimunai Beach", it said. The ICG team were deputed to these sites for assisting the District Administration Teams towards the ongoing cleanup operations at Colachel and Kanyakumari to protect the Marine Environment, it said. Following the sinking of the ship, a total of 22 coastal villages across the Killiyoor and Kalkulam taluks in Kanniyakumari district have been affected by the debris that washed ashore, including a container. The vessel was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide and also had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil. While the initial impact of the incident was felt along the coast of Kerala, plastic pellets, wooden logs, and cashew nuts have begun washing ashore in the villages of Kanniyakumari over the past three days. The district administration has opened a 24x7 control room to enable the public to report if any debris were found along the coast. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also held a review meeting at the State Secretariat to discuss the steps for the removal of the debris that were washed ashore. Officials of the Revenue, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Fisheries Departments and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board took part in the meeting which discussed on the safe removal of plastic and other materials that have washed ashore and to prevent any harmful effect on the public and to assess the potential impact on marine organisms. Though no hazardous materials have washed ashore on the Tamil Nadu coast till date, the Chief Minister directed the authorities to coordinate with various departments and volunteers for the safe removal of the debris, besides conducting studies on both the short term and long term environmental impact on marine life. UNI GV 2015
New Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Environmentalists demand full disclosure of hazardous waste leakages from MSC Elsa 3
Following the sinking of a Liberian cargo ship, MSC Elsa 3, off the Kerala coast, environmentalists are demanding immediate and transparent disclosure of the nature and quantity of the chemicals involved, as well as their impact on the coastal ecosystem and fisheries. They are also calling for urgent measures to protect marine ecosystems and the livelihoods of fisherfolk. Reports indicate that the sunken ship was carrying hazardous materials, including highly reactive calcium carbide, furnace oil, and diesel, which may have leaked into the sea, creating an oil slick. The global network of environmental group, Friends of the Earth (FoE), has expressed concern over the shipwreck of the Liberian cargo ship and the reported spillage of oil and hazardous chemicals off the Kerala coast. 'Reports indicate that floating containers are drifting toward the southern coasts, particularly Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari, raising serious environmental and livelihood concerns,' said Sarath Cheloor National Coordinator, FoE-India. According to the FoE assessments, the sunken commercial ship was carrying 640 containers at the time of the incident, including 13 containers with hazardous cargo and 12 with calcium carbide. The ship was also carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, which may have leaked into the sea, creating an oil slick.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kochi shipwreck: CM Stalin holds review meeting on environmental impact along T.N. coast
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin held a review meeting with officials at the State Secretariat on Friday (May 30, 2025) to discuss steps for the removal of materials that washed ashore along the coastal areas of Kanniyakumari district from the cargo ship MSC Elsa 3, which capsized nearly 38 nautical miles off the Kerala coast on May 24. Mr. Stalin held discussions with officials from the Departments of Revenue, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Fisheries, and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board regarding the safe removal of plastic and other materials washing ashore in Tamil Nadu's coastal regions. The objective was to prevent any harmful effects on the public and to assess potential impacts on marine organisms and other resources. According to the official release, though no hazardous materials have washed ashore on the Tamil Nadu coast so far, Mr. Stalin directed officials to ensure coordination among various departments and volunteers for the safe removal of the objects, and to conduct studies on both the short-term and long-term environmental impacts on marine life. He also urged the public to report any suspicious objects found near the coast to the district administration or the police. Additionally, he directed the State Disaster Management Authority to continuously monitor the situation and take all necessary precautionary measures to safeguard the public. Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam; Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Supriya Sahu; Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, P. Amudha, and other senior government officials participated in the meeting.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Kochi shipwreck: Plastic pellets, container drift to Kanniyakumari shores; activists raise concerns
Following the discovery of several bags of tiny plastic pellets along the shores of coastal villages in the Western part of Kanniyakumari district on Wednesday (May 28), a container from the sunken Liberian ship was found washed ashore between the the shores of Kodimunai and Vaniyakudi on Thursday. The Liberian cargo vessel MSC Elsa 3, which departed from Vizhinjam harbour, sank off the Kochi coast on Sunday (May 25, 2025). Initially, the containers and cargo from the ship began washing ashore along the coastline of Kerala. However, since Wednesday (May 28), due to ocean currents and monsoon winds, the containers and cargos are being eventually drifted towards the waters of Kanniyakumari. As part of the unfolding situation, a container was found washed ashore between the coastal villages Kodimunai and Vaniyakudi near Colachel. Speaking to The Hindu, Kanniyakumari District Collector R. Alagumeena said, 'The information has been reported and an expert team from the shipping company in Gujarat is on its way to recover the drifted item from the shore.' She added that officials from the Revenue Department and Police department have been deployed for the security of the container. Ms. Alagumeena noted that the efforts to clear the plastic pellets along the coastal areas had been continuing for the second consecutive day. Meanwhile, fishermen and activists had raised their concerns about the scattered plastic pellets along the coastal areas of Kanniykaumari and the submerged containers drifting in the sea. Fr. Churchill from South Asian Fishermen Fraternity highlighted the threat posed by submerged containers which could damage the fishing nets and boats during fishing activities. Additionally, since these containers might float in the sea at night, Mr. Churchill noted the heightened risk of collision, causing significant damage or even the sinking of fishing boats. Another activist Justin Antony stressed the need for urgent war-footing measures to clean up the plastic pellets along the shoreline. He pointed out that the livelihood of at least three fishermen families often depends on a single country boat, and urged the authorities to take immediate action to remove the submerged containers in the waters of Kanniyakumari.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Slow response risks long-term pollution
Thiruvananthapuram : The millions of plastic pellets that began to wash ashore along the state's southern coast two days ago from the sunken cargo ship MSC Elsa 3 can cause long-term pollution as authorities failed to act quickly to contain the spill. The authorities have so far focussed on containing the oil leak and recovering containers, most of them empty, that drifted ashore. Nine empty containers were recovered from the sea along the Thiruvananthapuram coast. Strong waves and monsoon winds broke open the sacks, scattering the pellets in the sea and along the coast at Vizhinjam, Thumba, Shangumugham and other areas. Sources said the authorities should have assessed the contents in the containers of the sunken ship and should have tried to contain the spread to the shore. The pellets, made of PET plastic, are not toxic but non-biodegradable. On Wednesday, the corporation's sweepers attempted to clear the pellets from Shangumugham's coastal road but made no effort to address the accumulation on the beach. By Thursday, volunteers from Harita Karma Sena resorted to scooping up pellets mixed with sand, filling buckets and sacks. Meanwhile, authorities have shown no clear strategy for removing the pellets still floating at sea. Fishermen say the presence of sea walls, which trap the pellets, makes comprehensive removal nearly impossible. A Biju Kumar, head of the department of Aquatic Biology, Kerala University, said the plastic pellets may cause long-term pollution. "Only a small portion seems to have come to the shore; all kinds of fish can consume them. The solution is to monitor the fish and look for chemical presence in the long term." Steps are being taken to clear them, but it is a challenge, he added. Robert Panipilla of Friends of Marine Life (FML) said the pellets look like eggs of squid and fishes are likely to eat them. "Pellets are floating in the water now. The longer they remain in the water, biomass will form on them, and they can sink due to their weight. Fish can think it is food." In other countries, floating barriers or booms would be deployed to contain such materials, he said. As no major oil spill has occurred and no slick has been found near shore, the state govt has declared that fish remains safe to eat. Heavy rain and strong waves have affected pollution containment measures, even as the govt is planning to survey the after-effects of the shipwreck.
