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The Hindu
12-06-2025
- General
- 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.
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Kerala shipwreck: Centre gives 48-hour ultimatum to ship owner MSC to extract oil from sunken vessel
The Director General of Shipping has issued an ultimatum to the owner of MSC Elsa 3, the ship that sank off the coast of Kerala on May 24, demanding the extraction of oil from the sunken ship in 48 hours. In the letter addressed to MSC Ship Management Limited, Cyprus, Shyam Jagannatan, Director General of Shipping (DGS), said 'the consistent inaction and delay by the owners and salvors (T&T salvage) appointed by the company represent not only negligence but also a violation of statutory obligations.' If the extraction of oil not commence within the next 48 hours, the Central government shall be left with no alternative but examine all avenues against the ship owners and salvors for the continuing threat posed to Indian waters and the coastal environment, the letter said. This include attracting prosecution and penalties under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958; Environment (Protection) Act 1986; Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; Disaster Management Act, 2005, and any other applicable provisions under Indian maritime safety, environmental protection, and disaster management laws, the letter said. Any further delay beyond the specified period will be treated as willful and deliberate noncompliance, and the government will proceed to exercise its full legal rights and remedies without any further reference, it noted. Despite repeated instructions and meetings, the response from the salvors has been consistently delayed and insufficient. The lack of prompt action has resulted in a continued and serious risk to the marine environment and coastline of India, particularly affecting the coastal regions of Kerala. The region's local communities, which heavily rely on fishing for their livelihoods, have already suffered extensive loss of work and income due to the prolonged presence of the sunken vessel, floating debris, oil sheen, and ongoing pollution risks, it said. The salvors were initially clearly advised to mobilise necessary assets for diving and oil recovery operations. Despite this, the diving support vessel (DSV) and necessary diving assets were not mobilised until after May 30, affecting the entire timeline for the operation. Even the tug assets hired by the owners arrived on scene only after June 1, with no prior deployment initiated by the salvors. Furthermore, while it was very clear considering the depth of the water (51 meters) that saturation diving was required for the extraction of oil from the vessel, the salvors have to date been able to conduct only limited air diving operations, which are inadequate for the extraction of oil from the tanks of the sunken vessel. Capping of vents, which was scheduled for completion earlier this month, is still being conducted at present. The extraction of oil, originally scheduled to commence around June 5, has not even begun as of this date. The salvage operation was provided a short weather window considering the monsoon conditions over the Arabian Sea, and that window has now largely been lost as a direct consequence of the salvors' failure to timely deploy assets and personnel, the DGS said.
