Latest news with #MSCElsa
India Today
5 days ago
- India Today
Kerala High Court orders arrest of Liberian ship's sister vessel after state plea
The Kerala High Court has ordered the arrest of the vessel MSC Akiketa II, a sister ship of the Liberian-flagged container ship, MSC Elsa 3, which sank off the state's coast on May 24. The court's directive comes in response to a plea filed by the Kerala government seeking compensation for the environmental and economic damage caused by the state government has claimed approximately Rs 9,531 crore in damages. This figure includes the cost of pollution control and remediation efforts, as well as compensation for the loss of livelihood suffered by the local fishing community following the court's decision to order the arrest of the MSC Akiketa II, which is reportedly owned or operated by the same entities associated with MSC Elsa, is intended to secure the government's claim as legal proceedings continue. The arrest of the vessel, which is currently within Indian waters, ensures that the ship cannot leave jurisdiction until the matter is resolved or appropriate security is furnished. Authorities have said the MSC Elsa's sinking led to significant ecological disruption and affected the daily income of fishermen along the Kerala coast. The Kerala government has maintained that swift legal action was necessary to hold the responsible parties accountable and to secure fair compensation for the damages incurred.- Ends
News18
5 days ago
- News18
Kerala HC Orders Arrest Of Sunk Vessel's Sister Ship After State Seeks Rs 9,531 Crore In Damages
Last Updated: On May 25, MSC Elsa, carrying over 643 containers, including hazardous cargo and plastic pellets, capsized about 13 nautical miles from Thottapally spillway off Kerala coast The Kerala High Court has ordered the conditional arrest of MSC Akiteta-II, a sister vessel of the Liberian vessel MSC Elsa, which sank off the state's coast. The government has filed an admiralty suit and sought Rs 9,531 crore as compensation, including for pollution damage, remedial action taken by the state and the loss of livelihood of fishermen. The ship is currently at the Vizhinjam port in Trivandrum and according to the order, the vessel can leave the port only if the company gives a security for the amount. Advocate General K Gopalakrishna Kurup and advocate Parvathy kottol, government pleader, appeared for the state. In its plaint, the State invoked Section 4 of the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017, to seek compensation, including Rs 8,626.12 crore for pollution damage, Rs 378.48 crore for environmental restoration, and Rs 526.51 crore for economic losses suffered by fishermen and coastal communities, amounting to a total maritime claim of Rs 9,531.11 crore. The State also asked that interest at the rate of 6 per cent per annum be awarded from the date of suit till judgment and thereafter at 12 per cent till realisation. It was on May 25 that MSC Elsa capsized approximately 13 nautical miles from the Thottapally spillway off the Kerala coast. According to the admiralty suit, the vessel was carrying over 643 containers, including hazardous cargo and plastic pellets known as 'nurdles'. According to the suit, 'The incident has resulted in massive pollution of Kerala's marine ecosystem, with oil slicks and floating cargo causing serious detriment to the environment, coastal fisheries, and public health." As on June 30, over 61 containers have washed ashore along the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam, and approximately 59.6 metric tons of plastic nurdles have been collected and transported from Veli Beach to Kollam Port. Manual and mechanical clean-up continues with the aid of 600 government personnel and 300 volunteers under the supervision of the Marine Emergency Response Centre. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) declared the incident a 'state disaster". Financial relief has been sanctioned to 78,498 fishermen families and 27,020 allied families at Rs 21,000 per person, along with free ration of 6kg rice per head. The fish market has also suffered a severe crash due to contamination fears. The admiralty suit also stated that six cetacean carcasses, including dolphins and a whale, have been found ashore, suspected to have died due to exposure to microplastics and toxic substances released from the vessel. First Published: July 08, 2025, 10:03 IST
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Kerala High Court orders arrest of cargo ship in Rs 9,531-crore damage case
In response to Kerala government's admiralty suit seeking a claim of Rs 9,531 crore following the wreck of container vessel MSC Elsa-3 along the state's coast, the high court on Monday directed the conditional arrest of Liberia-flagged container ship MSC Akiteta II which is currently anchored in Vizhinjam port. The bench of Justice M A Abdul Hakim said the vessel MSC Akiteta II 'along with her hull, tackle, engine, machinery spares, gear, apparel, paraphernalia is ordered to be arrested until Rs 9,531 crore is deposited by the ship in the court or until security for the said amount is furnished by the ship'. Vizhinjam port, operated by Adani group, was directed to execute the arrest of the ship. The matter will come up for hearing again on July 10. The vessel MSC Akiteta II is owned by MSC Shipping Co, which owned the sunken ship MSC Elsa. The claim of Rs 9,531 crore is for pollution (oil and cargo), remediation measures and for loss of livelihood caused to fishermen. The Kerala government's secretary to the environment department had filed the admiralty suit, seeking Rs 8,626.12 croes as compensation towards damage caused by MSC Elsa-3 to the environment, coastline and related interests of the state. Another chunk of the claim, Rs 378.48 crore is meant for taking measures to prevent, minimise or remove the damage caused by the said vessel to the environment, coastline, and related interest in the state. The loss for the fishermen has been pegged at Rs 526.51 crore.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Stronger Port State Control regime to ensure safety of ships called for
The back-to-back ship accidents off the coast of Kerala, including the sinking of MSC Elsa 3 and the explosion on the Singapore-flagged vessel Wan Hai-503, raise questions on the lax regulatory inspections being carried out by different agencies on ships. The incidents also highlight the need for a stronger Port State Control (PSC) regime along with real-time accesses to the details of dangerous cargo. The PSC regime envisions identifying substandard ships at any port in India and ensuring seaworthiness before the vessels are allowed to sail out of the port. The ships registered in various countries, especially under a flag of convenience (FoC) — a system in which ships are registered in countries where more lenient regulatory regimes exist — have to be subjected to routine inspections at various ports to ensure the safety, maintenance, manning, etc. According to reports, the 2000-registered MSC Elsa, the ship that sank off the coast of Kerala on May 25 spilling hazardous substances posing serious threat to the marine ecosystem and livelihood of thousands of fishermen, had been flagged for many deficiencies in the past, including at Tuticorin port in 2023, although the ship had a seaworthy certification. Speaking to The Hindu, a senior officer at the office of the Directorate General of Shipping said it was the Mercantile Marine department which had to conduct periodic inspections both on vessels registered in India and those registered in foreign nations during the port of call. 'We don't think there was any regulatory laxity or slackness in ensuring the safety of vessels calling at Indian ports. Moreover, a ship tilting to one side during its voyage doesn't mean that it was substandard or lacks fitness. There would be plenty of reasons which have to be ascertained through a detailed investigation,' he said. Maritime law expert V.J. Mathew said it had been around a month since the ship sank off the coast of Kerala. 'There is a clear remissness in conducting a primary investigation and submitting a report in connection with the accident,' he said. 'Even at this moment, I don't think the full detailed manifest of the containers carrying hazardous materials onboard MSC Elsa has been released,' said Mr. Mathew. N.S. Pillai, Chairman, Kerala Maritime Board, said the State had no role in enforcing the rules or carrying out surveys and inspections on vessels although deficiencies had been flagged in the past. 'Our role is mainly to provide necessary infrastructure for the berthing of vessels that call at ports under the board,' he said. The experts are of the view that the Centre should effectively implement the PSC regime and fix accountability for such accident without delay.
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Containers from Wan Hai 503 likely to wash ashore on Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kollam coasts between June 16 and June 18
Containers that fell overboard from the Singapore-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 are likely to wash ashore on the Ernakulam, Alappuzha and Kollam coasts between June 16 and June 18. The container ship had caught fire at sea on June 9 following an explosion. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) issued the update on Saturday citing the Coast Guard and the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF). The public have been advised to stay away from any suspicious object found on the coast. A distance of at least 200 metres should be maintained from them, the KSDMA said. The authority urged the people to alert the authorities about their presence on the emergency number 112. It may be recalled that a similar advisory had been issued in the case of the MSC Elsa shipwreck in May. Meanwhile, the Navy said that MV Wan Hai 503 is at present beyond the 1,000-metre sounding line (depth) at a distance of about 45 nautical miles from the coast. According to the Navy, the ship is being towed to deeper waters. The ship is stable, but with a tilt to port and smoke still rising from it. The tug Offshore Warrior is towing the vessel. Coast Guard ship Saksham is fuelling the tug so that it continues to operate without disruption, the Navy said. The Coast Guard said on Saturday that it was closely working with the Directorate General of Shipping to ensure that the container vessel remains at least 50 nautical miles from the Indian coast. The Coast Guard said it intended to make sure that this distance is maintained 'until a suitable fate is decided by the owners of the vessel in line with internationally accepted practices.' Salvage operations had moved forward in a big way after the vessel's towline was successfully transferred from Coast Guard ships to the ocean-going tug Offshore Warrior.
