Latest news with #X-PressPearl
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Greenpeace, civil society groups demand urgent action for making MSC pay for environment damage, livelihood loss
Greenpeace India along with civil society groups representing coastal and fishing communities on Monday (July 28, 2025) demanded urgent action to make the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) pay for the environmental damage and livelihood loss caused by the sinking of its Liberian-flagged vessel, the MSC Elsa 3, off the Kerala coast in May. A White Paper released here outlined the potential ecological and socio-economic impacts of the shipwreck that occurred 14.6 nautical miles off the coast of Kochi on May 25 and its far-reaching consequences, which has since, the organisations said, spiralled into a 'multi-dimensional environmental and human crisis.' The White Paper, covering the period from May 25 to June 25, sought to highlight the different dimensions of the damage including widespread nurdle (plastic pellet) contamination along the coasts of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. 'This is not just an accident. This is corporate negligence,' the document said. It demanded full transparency on the cargo manifest of the sunken ship and called on MSC to support rapid clean-up response and an independent impact assessment. It also wanted the company to engage in a 'comprehensive, up-to-scale compensation plan for the loss of livelihoods and biodiversity resulting from the shipwreck.' The document noted that oil spill, hydrocarbon contamination and hazardous chemical leaks pose immediate and significant threats to marine life, food chains and fisheries. The microplastic pollution caused by the spillage of nurdles (plastic pellets) poses another significant threat, the document said. Large amounts of microplastic pellets (nurdles) less than 5 mm in size have washed ashore along the Kerala coast and drifted to ecologically sensitive areas like the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve and roughly 80 km to 600 km along the coastline of Sri Lanka, it said. The White Paper observed that incidents such as the MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck pose significant long-term environmental consequences and present formidable recovery challenges. Damaged ecosystems, such as coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass beds take a very long time to recover, if at all, it said. Nurdles and other plastic debris are non-biodegradable and can persist in the environment for hundreds of years. Economic hardships 'The long-term impact on the fishing and tourism industries can be devastating, leading to prolonged economic hardship for coastal communities. Legal battles for compensation, as seen with the X-Press Pearl disaster (off Sri Lanka in 2021), can be lengthy and complex, often resulting in insufficient redress for the affected parties,' the document noted. Further, the document underscored the 'critical need' for more stringent regulations, better enforcement, improved monitoring, and enhanced international cooperation and training for emergency responders. ' These incidents expose shortcomings in national and international regulations and emergency response protocols, it said. Vicar General of Latin Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram Eugene Pereira, Greenpeace India programme director Divya Raghunandan, Kerala Swatantra Matsya Thozhilali Federation president Jackson Pollayil, Coastal Students Cultural Forum president Rethin Antony and Mercy Alexander of Coastal Watch were present.
Saudi Gazette
a day ago
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Report uncovers lasting toxic legacy of cargo ship disaster off Sri Lanka
NEGOMBO, Sri Lanka — Four years after a stricken cargo ship caused the largest plastic spill ever recorded, volunteers on Sri Lanka's beaches are still sifting kilograms of tiny, toxic plastic pellets from the sand. Billions of plastic nurdles, as they are called, are thought to have washed up after the X-Press Pearl disaster in 2021, along with tonnes of engine fuel, acid, caustic soda, lead, copper slag, lithium batteries and epoxy resin - all toxic to aquatic life. The immediate damage was obvious: the nurdles inundated the shoreline, turning it white, while dead turtles, dolphins and fish began washing up. But scientists are now flagging fears the damage to the environment could be much more enduring than previously thought. So far, hundreds of millions of nurdles may have been cleared away - but the remaining, lentil-sized microplastic granules have become increasingly difficult to find as they disappear deeper into the sand. Worse, those pieces of plastic now appear to be becoming even more toxic, new research suggests."They seem to be accumulating pollution from the ocean," said David Megson, of Manchester Metropolitan University. "Like a lovely big chemical sponge."Nurdles are the raw materials that are melted to make plastic products and it is not unusual for large amounts to be transported in the global plastic supply problems onboard the X-Press Pearl started soon after setting sail from Dubai Port bound for Port Klang in Malaysia, when the crew noticed that a container carrying nitric acid was leaking, corroding the metal box. But they were denied permission to unload the smoking, leaking container at ports in Qatar and container had been leaking acid at a rate of about a litre an hour for at least eight days when it sailed into Sri Lankan waters late at night on 19 May had requested emergency berthing - but by the morning the Singapore-flagged vessel was firefighting efforts from the crew, the Sri Lankan authorities and salvors, the fire spread throughout the weeks later, it sank, spilling its cargo and fuel into the sea around nine nautical miles off the country's south-west coast, between the capital Colombo and Negombo to the happened next "was just like out of a war movie", says Muditha Katuwawala, an environmentalist and founder of the Pearl Protectors, a local NGO that volunteered to help the clean-up operation, which was run largely by Sri Lankan state authorities with funding from the ship's owners."We started seeing turtles getting washed up with similar sorts of traits... the skin had burn marks [and] was peeling off. The nose and eyes were red and puffed up, and we saw dolphins washing up and... their skin was peeling off and red," Katuwawala nurdles on the beaches were "like snow," he says, adding that "it was horrifying".The clean-up began in earnest. At the start, Katuwawala and his fellow volunteers "were collecting like 300-400 kilos of nurdles" each time, it dropped to three to four kilograms in a couple of hours."The nurdles were getting more dispersed, it was harder to see them as they got buried in the sand over time."It was decided the cost-benefit ratio was no longer worth the effort of mobilising volunteers. The groups stood down, leaving the task to state-organised local clean-up the same time, scientists were getting concerned about the possibility the plastic pellets - already harmful to animals which eat them accidentally - may be getting more toxic, contaminated from the spill, or from other pollution the ensuing years, they have collected samples which could help trace the effect over November 2024, the BBC and Watershed Investigations sent more than 20 of those samples to a team of forensic chemists specialising in environmental pollution from Manchester Metropolitan found the most heavily contaminated nurdles were those burnt in the fire, which leach metals toxic to aquatic life, like arsenic, lead, cadmium, copper, cobalt and team also found the pellets "still going round appear to be sucking up more pollution from the environment" and were becoming "more toxic", according to Megson."They will be ingested [and] will pass pollution on to marine organisms," he carried out on fish caught near the site of the disaster - as well as the nearby Negombo lagoon - found some contained the same pollutants that were present in the ship's cargo and on the of the fish contained levels of hazardous metals - some of which were found in the disaster - which exceeded safe say the disaster cannot be discounted as the source of contamination, although it also can't be directly proven to be the source, as it's not known if these fish ate nurdles, how many they ingested, or if the pollution came from other sources."But placed on top of everything else that is in that system, there's a really good likelihood that it's causing harm to the environment and also potentially harm to people and humans that are eating and relying on that marine ecosystem for a source of their food," Megson fishermen do draw the link to the disaster."There's no fish since then. We've never had the same amount of fish that we used to catch," fisherman Jude Sulanta explains."Our lives have turned upside down. From the stretch where the ship sank up until here you don't get many new, young fish at all."The ship's owner, X-Press Feeders Ltd, says to date it has worked diligently to ensure the best response to the disaster and spent more than $130m (£96m) to remove the wreck and debris at says it has also paid more than $20m to the Sri Lankan government for clean-up operations on the coast and to compensate says, however, that the Sri Lankan government has assumed responsibility for all shoreside clean-up activities and it is disappointed by the delays in that process and the ongoing impacts this is Sri Lankan government says the amount paid by the ship's owner - which was capped by an interim UK maritime court order - is not enough to cover the long-term damage, and it is pursuing legal action to overturn the cap and secure further Thursday, Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered the company to pay $1bn as an initial payment to cover long-term economic and environmental damage it says the country suffered as a result of the disaster - but the cap remains in place. The Supreme Court doesn't have jurisdiction over Singapore, where X-Press Feeders Ltd has its headquarters.X-Press Feeders said it was extremely disappointed with the judgment and that they are reviewing it with their legal advisers, insurers and other relevant stakeholders to best assess their next course of Prashanthi Guneeardena - an environmental economist at University of Sri Jayawardenapura who chaired an expert committee of scientists to assess the damage - puts the cost of the disaster at closer to more than $6bn, taking into account things like the loss of wildlife, as well as impact on tourism, fishing and harm to local residents from the toxic cloud released when the ship burned."Large quantities of dioxin and furan have been added to the atmosphere and these are carcinogens. And then we have calculated it may kill about 70 people in our country," says Prof ship owner rejects this quotes the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF), an organisation which is funded by the shipping industry to assess marine spills. It says the report was "unparticularised, inaccurate, and lacked credible scientific basis".The ship owner has also said itself and its crew have "followed the internationally accepted procedures in dealing with the acid leak, while maintaining all safety and emergency protocols".Colombo Port Authority has also denied any responsibility, saying it did not know of the issues until the ship arrived in its sea is the lifeblood of this island nation. Its stunning golden coasts are a huge draw for tourists, and for generations fishing has fed the Sulanta, the fisherman, is worried that his way of life no longer has a future."Many are selling their boats and trying to go abroad. And many people are fed up. In fact, my son himself, he's working with me at the moment. He's also a fisherman."But he's also considering leaving the country. It's already been several years. If we were going to get justice we would have had it by now," he says. — BBC
News18
2 days ago
- General
- News18
World News Live Updates: North Korea rejects diplomatic overtures from South Korea
Live now Last Updated: From geopolitics to climate, tech to social change, News18 World live blog delivers real-time updates on what is the latest from around the globe News18 Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Scientists warn of enduring toxic legacy from 2021 Sri Lanka ship disaster The environmental fallout from the 2021 X-Press Pearl cargo ship disaster off Sri Lanka has a far more enduring and toxic legacy than initially assessed, with scientists now confirming persistent and widespread contamination, BBC says in a report. The primary pollutants are billions of pre-production plastic pellets, known as nurdles, and hazardous chemicals which continue to degrade into microplastics. This ongoing contamination poses a significant long-term threat to marine ecosystems and biodiversity, severely impacting the livelihoods of local fishing communities through reduced and contaminated fish stocks. The disaster has also created a substantial economic burden for Sri Lanka, which is still pursuing full compensation for cleanup and damages through complex legal proceedings, while the incident prompts calls for stricter international maritime regulations on transporting hazardous materials. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Israeli strikes in Gaza reportedly kill 63 amid deepening hunger crisis Israeli military strikes in Gaza have reportedly killed 63 people, with attacks occurring even in designated 'safe zones' despite declared tactical 'pauses' in fighting, according to a report in Al Jazeera. The humanitarian situation continues to worsen, as health officials in Gaza reported that six more Palestinians, including two children, have died from malnutrition and dehydration. These events compound a severe and deepening hunger crisis that humanitarian agencies have warned is pushing the population toward famine. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Green algae proliferation threatens French oyster industry A significant proliferation of green algae in Brittany's Morlaix Bay is posing a direct threat to the local oyster industry, according to a report in France 24. The algal blooms, primarily fed by farm waste and nitrogen fertilizers from the region's intensive agriculture, are creating adverse conditions for oyster farming. This long-standing environmental issue, which also impacts local tourism and public health, is reportedly being exacerbated by the effects of global warming, threatening the economic livelihoods of France's oyster farmers. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Google acknowledges its earthquake alert system failed to warn millions in Turkey Google's Android Earthquake Alerts System (AEAS) sent only 469 serious warnings ahead of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey, failing to alert millions of people, BBC says in a report. While the system detected the quake, Google acknowledged its performance was limited by the event's depth and complex rupture, which hindered its ability to assess the magnitude in real-time and issue critical 'take action' alerts on a mass scale. The incident has prompted Google to review its system's algorithms and has raised significant questions about the reliability of AI-driven public safety systems. This failure underscores the need for multi-layered disaster preparedness strategies that combine supplementary tech solutions with traditional government-operated seismic networks and may impact public trust in smartphone-based warning systems. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST US and EU announce new trade framework The United States and the European Union have announced a new trade framework from Edinburgh, Scotland, as per a report in AP. The report did not include specific provisions or details of the agreement. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Deadline passes on CK Hutchison's US$23 billion global ports sale The deadline for exclusive negotiations regarding CK Hutchison Holdings' US$23 billion sale of stakes in 43 global ports to a consortium led by Terminal Investment Limited (TIL) passed without an agreement on Sunday, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. The complex transaction, which includes strategically vital ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, is reportedly being complicated by intense US-China geopolitical rivalry. Analysts expect that the talks will be extended, as the deal faces scrutiny due to US national security concerns over foreign influence in critical infrastructure, despite the buyer, TIL, being an affiliate of the Swiss-Italian Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST China designates 'drone flight planner' as official profession amid economic push China has officially recognized 'drone flight planner' as a new profession to address a talent shortage in its rapidly growing low-altitude economy, according to a report in the South China Morning Post. The announcement was made by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and is part of a larger government strategy to develop the low-altitude sector as a new engine for economic growth. This new designation is one of 17 new occupations announced, which also include roles like cross-border e-commerce operation manager, signaling a shift in labor market demands toward high-tech and specialized skills. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST US and China reportedly planning autumn visit for President Trump US President Donald Trump is reportedly keen to visit China in the autumn of 2025, with officials working to arrange a trip for October or November, the South China Morning Post said in a report. While hurdles remain in the bilateral relationship, high-level officials from both Washington and Beijing are said to share a consensus on the need for the visit. The report clarifies that a potential trip in September to attend a parade in Beijing commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II will not be happening. Jul 28, 2025 09:03 IST Alibaba enters AI smart glasses race with Quark preview Alibaba Group Holding has entered the competitive smart glasses market by previewing its first AI-powered device, the Quark AI glasses, at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, South China Morning Post said in a report. Named after the company's AI assistant, the glasses' development is complete, with an official launch planned for later this year. The move places Alibaba in direct competition with global tech giants like Apple, Meta, and Google, as well as domestic rivals such as Huawei and Xiaomi, in the growing market for smart wearables and edge AI devices. The unveiling at China's largest annual AI event highlights the country's strategic push for leadership in artificial intelligence and its application in consumer technology.
5 days ago
Sri Lankan court orders owners of container ship to pay $1 billion in marine pollution compensation
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka's top court on Thursday ordered the owners of a Singapore-flagged container ship that sank near its capital to pay $1 billion in compensation to the island nation's government for causing the most severe marine environment catastrophe in the country's history. The container ship MV X-Press Peal, which was carrying chemicals, sank off Colombo in June, 2021 after catching fire. The Supreme Court said the incident caused 'unprecedented devastation to the marine environment of Sri Lanka' and harmed the country's economy, especially the lives of the fishing communities. Judges said the disaster led to the death of 417 turtles, 48 dolphins, eight whales and a large number of fish species that washed ashore after the incident. Debris from the ship, including several tons of plastic pellets used to make plastic bags, caused severe pollution on beaches. 'This marine environmental disaster constitutes the largest recorded marine plastic spill in the world,' the judgement said. 'It resulted in the widespread release of toxic and hazardous substances into the marine environment, poisoning ocean waters, killing marine species, and destructing phytoplankton." Due to the severe marine pollution, the government imposed a fishing ban for well over a year, depriving fishermen of their income and livelihood. The incident "continues to cause destruction and harm to Sri Lanka's marine environment,' said the judgement, signed by five supreme court judges. The judgement was given against the X-Press Pearl group that included ship's registered owner, EOS Ro Pte. Limited, and other charterers. All are based in Singapore. An agent in Sri Lanka, Sea Consortium Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., was also named. The court said it has sufficient reasons to hold that X-Press Pearl group 'should be held accountable and liable under the Polluter Pays Principle for the pollution caused by the MV X-Press Pearl vessel.' It said the owner, operators and local agent of the ship were all liable for the payment of compensation, which should be used to restore and protect the affected marine and coastal environment. There was no immediate comment on the judgement from the owner or agent of the vessel.
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sri Lankan court orders owners of container ship to pay $1 billion in marine pollution compensation
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka's top court on Thursday ordered the owners of a Singapore-flagged container ship that sank near its capital to pay $1 billion in compensation to the island nation's government for causing the most severe marine environment catastrophe in the country's history. The container ship MV X-Press Peal, which was carrying chemicals, sank off Colombo in June, 2021 after catching fire. The Supreme Court said the incident caused 'unprecedented devastation to the marine environment of Sri Lanka' and harmed the country's economy, especially the lives of the fishing communities. Judges said the disaster led to the death of 417 turtles, 48 dolphins, eight whales and a large number of fish species that washed ashore after the incident. Debris from the ship, including several tons of plastic pellets used to make plastic bags, caused severe pollution on beaches. 'This marine environmental disaster constitutes the largest recorded marine plastic spill in the world,' the judgement said. 'It resulted in the widespread release of toxic and hazardous substances into the marine environment, poisoning ocean waters, killing marine species, and destructing phytoplankton.' Due to the severe marine pollution, the government imposed a fishing ban for well over a year, depriving fishermen of their income and livelihood. The incident 'continues to cause destruction and harm to Sri Lanka's marine environment,' said the judgement, signed by five supreme court judges. The judgement was given against the X-Press Pearl group that included ship's registered owner, EOS Ro Pte. Limited, and other charterers. All are based in Singapore. An agent in Sri Lanka, Sea Consortium Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., was also named. The court said it has sufficient reasons to hold that X-Press Pearl group 'should be held accountable and liable under the Polluter Pays Principle for the pollution caused by the MV X-Press Pearl vessel.' It said the owner, operators and local agent of the ship were all liable for the payment of compensation, which should be used to restore and protect the affected marine and coastal environment. There was no immediate comment on the judgement from the owner or agent of the vessel. The court ruling came after several parties, including environment campaigners and fisher rights groups, filed litigation seeking compensation.
