Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding sinking of Liberian ship off the Kochi coast, Kerala, 27/05/2025
Order of the National Green Tribunal in the matter of News Item titled "Containers from sunken ship likely to drift towards Alappuzha, Kollam Coasts in 48 hours: INCOIS" appearing in The Hindu dated 25.05.2025 dated 27/05/2025.
The original application was registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item titled “Containers from sunken ship likely to drift towards Alappuzha, Kollam Coasts in 48 hours: INCOIS” appearing in The Hindu dated 25.05.2025. The news item relates to the Liberian – flagged container ship, MSC ELSA 3 which sank off the Kochi Coast on Sunday morning drifting towards the entire coastal stretch of Alappuzha district and parts of Kollam. The ship was carrying 640 containers including 13 with hazardous cargo and 12 containing calcium carbide.
As per the news item Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) is monitoring the impacts. As per the initial study Alappad, Purakkad and Chappakkadavu in Alappuzha apart from Vellanathuruthu, Kovilthottam and Maruthadi along the Kollam coast have a 25 per cent chance of being affected. The ship was also carrying 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil, as per a communication issued by the Ministry of Defence.
Further the ship owner firm MSC is expected to clarify on the contents of the hazardous cargo in the 13 containers. Since the sunken ship is carrying hazardous materials like calcium carbide, oil and other undisclosed items there are chances of serious impact to the marine and coastal environment affecting the bio diversity and water quality of the area. On account of wave, wind and current actions of the waters these pollutants can travel to other coastal parts of the Country including Lakshadweep islands affecting them. The impact on the Lakshadweep Island will be severe as the coastal water has high biodiversity with corals. The above matter indicates violation of the Biodiversity Act, 2002; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
The NGT directed notice be issued to the Kerala Pollution Control Board; Lakshadweep Pollution Control Committee; Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB); Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC); Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Indian Coast Guards and National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS). The NGT directed the respondents to file their reply one week before the next date of hearing, July 30, 2025.