Kochi/New Delhi | As a Liberian cargo ship sank off the Kerala coast causing oil slick, the Indian Coast Guard has deployed offshore patrol vessels for monitoring of the site while pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari has been mobilised as the ICG intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts.
Authorities in Kerala on Monday said many of its containers have started to wash ashore, with some of those being found along the coasts of southern Kollam and Alappuzha districts.
"As there is a risk of the oil spill spreading, a high alert has been issued along the entire Kerala coast," according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) earlier in the day.
Liberian container vessel -- MSC ELSA 3 -- sank off the Kochi coast early on Sunday, due to flooding. It went down with 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide. It was also loaded with 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil, the Ministry of Defence said on Sunday.
The ministry in a fresh statement on Monday said hours after the container vessel sank, the Indian Coast Guard's surveillance aircraft detected an "oil slick" at the site, and the ICG has launched a "full-scale pollution response operation".
The ICG has intensified surveillance and spill mitigation efforts using aerial sorties and specialised dispersal equipment, the ministry said.
"Two offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) remain on-site for round-the-clock monitoring, while pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari and additional OPVs have been mobilised with large quantities of OSD (oil spill dispersant)," it said.
The ICG launched a "full-scale pollution response operation following the sinking of the Liberian vessel, which sank approximately 15 nautical miles southwest of Alappuzha, Kerala, the ministry said.
"By late morning on May 25, the oil slick was spotted drifting east-southeast from the site of the sinking at a speed of 1.5 to 2 knots. Rough sea conditions and strong winds made response efforts more challenging.
"Despite the hazardous situation, with over 100 cargo containers floating in the area, some breaking apart and releasing their contents, ICG continued operations with full effect. To ensure safety, all passing ships have been diverted, and mariners have been warned to navigate cautiously due to floating debris and potential navigation hazards," it added.
The Mercantile Marine Department, Kochi, issued a pollution liability warning to the vessel owners M/s MSC under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, the ministry said.
The MSC appointed T&T Salvage for container recovery, oil removal, and environmental clean-up.
"The ICG also advised the Kerala state administration to prepare for shoreline clean-up and to alert local communities not to handle any cargo or debris that may wash ashore," it said.
Earlier in the day, a high-level meeting was convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to assess the situation.
An advisory has been issued urging coastal residents and fishermen to remain vigilant.
So far, nine containers have washed ashore, and an advisory has been reiterated for coastal residents and fishermen to remain alert, according to a statement issued by the CMO.
The statement further noted that there is a higher likelihood of containers washing ashore along the coasts of Alappuzha, Kollam, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.
A full pollution response preparedness has been activated by the Indian Coast Guard which was monitoring the situation along with the Indian Navy.
"Within hours of the vessel's submergence, ICG surveillance aircraft detected an oil slick at the site. ICG Ship Saksham, already stationed in pollution response configuration, was deployed immediately. An ICG Dornier aircraft conducted aerial assessments and dispersed oil spill dispersant across the affected zone," the ministry said.
Of the 24 crew members, 21 had been rescued by the ICG on Sunday, and the remaining three were later rescued by INS Sujata, which joined the rescue operation launched by the ICG.
While a weather-related advisory remains in place for fishermen to avoid going to sea, fishing is strictly prohibited within 20 nautical miles of the shipwreck site, and the same safety instructions apply.
A defence PRO said that three Indian Coast Guard vessels -- Vikram, Saksham, and Samarth -- have been deployed in the area in pollution response configuration, using infra-red cameras to detect the oil spill to contain its spread.
Coast Guard officials at DHQ-4 remain in regular contact with government authorities to advise on potential shoreline clean-up operations, the PRO added.
The leak has sparked a statewide alert, as the spill is drifting and could soon impact the ecologically sensitive Kerala coastline.
Meanwhile, the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Customs, Thiruvananthapuram Zone, stated that of the total 643 containers on board, 73 were empty and 13 were carrying hazardous and dangerous goods, including calcium carbide -- a chemical that reacts violently with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas.
"All goods on board were non-duty paid at the time of the incident, and any unauthorised removal or pilferage of such goods is illegal," the statement added.
Mumbai | The Directorate General of Shipping has been directed to monitor the situation arising out of the capsizing and sinking of a Liberian cargo ship off the Kerala coast, at every two hours, Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Monday.
Speaking with reporters after attending the 36th Foundation Day celebrations event here, Sonowal, who is the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said all steps have been taken particularly to protect coastal life.
A Liberian-flagged cargo container ship which was sailing between the ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi capsized and sank in the sea off the coast of Kerala on Sunday, leading to a significant oil spill. However, all crew members were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and a Navy ship.
According to official sources, the ship had a total of 643 containers on board, of which 73 were empty and 13 were carrying hazardous and dangerous goods, including calcium carbide -- a chemical that reacts violently with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas.
"In this regard, we have already directed our DG shipping to monitor it (the situation) every two hours. They are sitting with the concerned agencies, particularly the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy and all others like Kerala Government, State and National Disaster Management Authority. They all are all working together," Sonowal said.
All steps have been taken particularly to protect the coastal life and environment, the minister said, adding "these are the two important areas which are being taken care of."
Authorities on Monday stated that containers from the Liberian cargo ship have started washing ashore, prompting the authorities to urge the public to stay away from them.
They said that some containers have been found along the coasts of southern Kollam and coastal Alappuzha districts.
In the wake of the sinking of the ship, a high-level meeting was convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to assess the situation.
An advisory has been issued urging coastal residents and fishermen to remain vigilant. The cargo ship capsized and sank early on Sunday, leading to a significant oil spill.
The leak has sparked a statewide alert, as fuel is drifting at a speed of around three kilometres per hour and could soon impact the ecologically sensitive Kerala coastline.
According to the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the sunken vessel had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks.
Some containers were carrying dangerous substances such as calcium carbide, a chemical that reacts with seawater to release highly flammable acetylene gas, officials said.
Meanwhile, a senior DGS official expressed hope that with the deployment of the two specialized capital vessels for oil spill response should be able to contain the oil spill.
“Three specific aspects have been addressed with regards to the incident. One is the containers that have reached, they have to be sequestered and they have to be addressed accordingly, also to ensure that there is no environmental damage done both to the coastline and to the coastal flows where these containers are,” said the official.
He said that in a capsized vessel they are going to put a bunker as well which needs to be extracted and then salvage needs to be done.
“The weather unfortunately is not favourable and we have to work against these constraints,” he said.
“We are doing coordinated, three hourly planning. The Coast Guard has restricted the entire seafaring vessel and that was the first priority. Thereafter, they have deployed vessels especially for the oil spill response. They had two aerial vessels and basically now we have two specialized capital vessels which are basically for oil spills. Both the vessels are basically for oil spill response,” the official said.
The main oil is diesel which is floated. There is an oil dispersion collector that is needed. It is deployed there. Otherwise, it is not possible because of the spread in terms of the area, he said adding, “I think that should not be a concern. Moreover, if the weather opens up slightly favourably, we should have a natural evaporation of 20 to 25 per cent.”
The official also said that the only issue is that the DG Shipping is yet to get the recovery plan from the salvage party.
Kochi | The shipwreck off the Kerala coast involving hazardous cargo could have long-lasting effects on marine life and local fisheries, especially during the ongoing monsoon season, the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) said on Monday.
A field team from CMFRI has been sent to study the possible environmental and economic impact of the oil spill, the wreck, and any leakage of chemicals into the sea, it said.
The institute said the full impact will only be clear later, but warned that the incident comes at a crucial time for pelagic fish, which breed and grow during the monsoon.
"Oil smothering could threaten sensitive marine species and disrupt fishing activities, particularly affecting artisanal fishers in coastal regions. If the spill spreads, it may harm marine productivity, especially during the monsoon, a critical period for pelagic fish breeding and growth," said CMFRI director Dr Grinson George.
George observed that the situation could have long-term consequences for fisheries.
"The monsoon season typically supports high marine productivity, and we had anticipated a strong fishing season. The scale of the impact depends on the extent of leakage and how effectively we can contain the spread," he added.
He said CMFRI would conduct field surveys, collect samples, and monitor the movement of the spill to evaluate its ecological effects.
CMFRI also urged the relevant agencies to coordinate efforts to minimise the damage.
The Liberian vessel sank with hazardous cargo on board off the Kerala coast on Sunday morning.
Besides the threat of the oil spill, the ship was carrying a total of 643 containers, of which 73 were empty and 13 contained hazardous and dangerous goods, including calcium carbide -- a chemical that reacts violently with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas.
