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Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Shipwreck off Kochi coast: Shipping officer to meet govt agencies, insurer to streamline claims
Kochi: The nodal officer appointed by the directorate general of shipping (DGS) will meet with state govt agencies and officials of the insurer to streamline the claims arising out of the sinking of the vessel MSC ELSA-3 vessel off the coast of Kochi. The meeting will also involve a representative of the insurer from the UK who is expected to arrive on Monday. DGS sources said that those affected, including the fisherfolk, need not worry as their grievances would be addressed. "Since it would be challenging for the fisherfolk to come forward with claims themselves, the state govt will take the lead role in coordinating with them as they will have the actual data. Whatever grievances they have will be addressed. The insurance company would try to take care of losses, including the loss of their livelihood," said deputy nautical adviser Capt Anish Joseph, the nodal officer appointed for the purpose. An SOP would soon be formed to deal with the compensation claims arising from the sinking. Sources also said that the insurance companies involved are reputable and are part of the international group of the protection and indemnity (P&I) clubs. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "On Monday, one of their officials from London, along with a few other officials from India, will be arriving to meet the govt agencies to facilitate the claim process along with the nodal officer," said sources. The nodal officer will be travelling to Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, and Kanyakumari to meet with govt officials. Sources said that setting up district-wise cells to facilitate the process was also under consideration. Sources added that the first part will be the submission of the claims, then there will be scrutiny from the insurance side, after which the payout is likely to happen. "We want only fisherfolk to come forward, which is why the state govt is to take the lead," said a source adding that bogus claims can derail or delay the process. The govt will also be making claims for compensation since response measures are being undertaken by Coast Guard as well as the state govt. Sources added that salvage operations are also underway, and as per the water sampling tests so far, the water levels were not at a level that causes concern, said sources. Meanwhile, a special National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP) meeting chaired by director general of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Paramesh Sivamani was conducted on Friday to review the pollution response action plan post the sinking of the vessel. Stakeholders from multiple govt agencies collaborated to discuss response efforts, ensuring a unified approach to protect the sensitive ecosystems of Kerala and south Tamil Nadu's coastline and safeguard the livelihoods of fisherfolk affected by the incident, ICG said in a post on X.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Danger in the sea: on Kerala and the MSC Elsa 3 sinking
On the afternoon of May 24, MSC Elsa 3, carrying more than 640 containers, started tilting off the coast of Kochi, apparently due to an operational problem. The nearly three-decade-old ship was said to be structurally safe. The crew abandoned the ship after unsuccessfully trying to right her. Now, Elsa 3 is lying at the bottom of the seabed 50 metres below. As per the cargo manifest, officials say the ship had 13 containers with hazardous goods. Twelve had calcium carbide, a reactive compound, and one had 'rubber solution'. Some 50 containers, many empty, were floating and getting tossed around by monsoon weather. Officials say the rubber solution has reacted with the seawater and accounts for the plastic pellets being found on the Kerala coast. Five containers with calcium carbide, another pollution hazard, are lying on the seabed and need to be safely disposed of before they cause damage. Some oil pollution has also been reported. There is as yet no clarity on how to safely dispose of the plastic pellets. Though containers have tremendously boosted world trade logistics, oversight and control of what each container that passes several hands, ships and yards has is a global problem. Besides the 600-odd containers still lodged inside Elsa 3's cargo space, some 365 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 60 tonnes of diesel lie inside the ship's tanks. That much of the oil has not seeped out yet is fortuitous but there is every possibility of it happening if quick action is not taken. The Chennai coast was ravaged by 250 tonnes of heavy fuel oil from an oil tanker that collided with an LPG carrier in 2017. MSC Elsa 3 is a toxic dump that needs to be quickly disposed of. Salvers are being engaged and they will follow international insurance protocols. The National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOS-DCP) names the Coast Guard as the nodal agency for such responses. In Chennai, the response was delayed by several days and there was much confusion and a lack of coordination between agencies. In Kerala, however, there has been enough time to rig up an effective response. With ambitious plans for economic growth that will inevitably lead to a surge in ship traffic, the government has also planned to draw more national and global transshipment traffic into India's waters. India is only set to see a great number and variety of ships of varying cargoes on its coast in future. The Kerala response will show how well prepared India is to handle a major maritime disaster.
