MSC Elsa 3 shipwreck: Greenpeace India, civil society groups seek action to make shipping firm pay relief for environmental damage, livelihood loss
A White Paper released in Thiruvananthapuram 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 consequences, observing that these have since 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 even Sri Lanka. The document also outlined the severe livelihood disruptions for fisherfolk and growing concerns for marine biodiversity in the region.
'Corporate negligence'
'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. 'Oil slicks can smother sensitive coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, estuaries and mudflats which are crucial breeding and feeding grounds for numerous marine and avian species,' it noted.
The microplastic pollution caused by the spillage of nurdles (plastic pellets) poses another significant threat, the document said. 'Large amounts of microplastic pellets less than 5 mm in size have washed ashore along the Kerala coast (e.g., Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha) and drifted to ecologically sensitive areas suchh as the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve and roughly 80 km to 600 km along the coastline of Sri Lanka. Nurdles are primary microplastics that can absorb toxic chemicals from seawater and are frequently mistaken as food by marine animals (fish, seabirds, sea turtles), leading to internal injuries, starvation, and exposure to absorbed toxins,' 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. They break down into microplastics and nanoplastics, entering the food web and potentially impacting human health through seafood consumption.
Long-term impact
'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 White Paper 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, emergency response protocols, and the capacity to handle large-scale maritime environmental disasters,' 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 among those present.
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