Latest news with #MVX-PressPearl
The Star
4 days ago
- General
- The Star
Singapore shipowner told to pay US$1bil over marine disaster
The highest court has ordered a Singaporean shipping firm to pay US$1bil (RM4.2bil) in damages for causing the island's worst marine pollution when its vessel sank four years ago. The Supreme Court directed Express Feeders, the owner of the MV X-Press Pearl which sank off Colombo Port in June 2021 after a fire that raged for nearly two weeks, to pay the money within a year. 'The X-Press Pearl... shall make further compensation payments as may be directed by this court,' the 361-page judgment read. Environmentalists had brought the case to court, alleging that both government authorities and firm owners had failed to prevent the fire from becoming an unprecedented ecological disaster. The shipping firm initially apologised and paid US$7.85mil for the immediate cleanup and as compensation for fishermen who were deprived of their livelihoods following the catastrophic incident. They then obtained an order from London's admiralty court in July 2023, limiting their liability to a maximum of £19mil. Sri Lanka has appealed that decision. The Sri Lankan government also filed a lawsuit against the shipowner in the Singapore International Commercial Court, claiming unspecified damages. That case has been put on hold pending a decision from the admiralty court in London. There was no immediate response from the Singaporean owner or their local representatives. The vessel was carrying 81 containers of 'dangerous cargo', including acids and lead ingots, when it sank. Tonnes of microplastic granules from the ship inundated an 80km stretch of beach along Sri Lanka's western coast. Fishing was prohibited for months due to the plastic pollution. Sri Lankan authorities believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak, which the crew apparently knew about nine days before the blaze started. Ports in Qatar and India had refused to offload the leaking nitric acid, and the vessel arrived in Sri Lankan waters with the leak. — AFP
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sri Lankan Supreme Court orders $1 bn compensation over X-Press Pearl disaster
In a landmark judgment that could redefine environmental accountability in South Asia, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered non-state actors — including the owners, operators, and local agents of the ill-fated MV X-Press Pearl — to pay $1 billion as interim compensation to the Sri Lankan treasury. The ruling relates to the catastrophic maritime disaster in May 2021, when the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel caught fire and later sank off the Western coast of Sri Lanka, unleashing what experts have described as the worst marine pollution event in the island's history. The verdict followed the hearing of four Fundamental Rights petitions filed by fishermen, Catholic clergy, and environmental groups. Among the petitioners was Sri Lanka's most senior Catholic prelate, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith. Nearly 20 respondents were named, including former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa (represented by the Attorney General), several ministers, senior public officials, and heads of agencies responsible for marine environmental protection. The vessel's owners, operators, and local agents were collectively referred to by the Court as the 'X-Press Pearl Group.' Upholding the 'polluter pays' principle, the Court found that both the X-Press Pearl Group and state actors had violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners — and, by extension, the people of Sri Lanka. In a rare move, the Court also ruled that Sri Lanka's Attorney General's Department (AGD) had violated citizens' rights by failing to pursue appropriate legal action against the responsible parties. A slow-burning disaster The MV X-Press Pearl was a Singapore-registered container ship operated by X-Press Feeders. On May 20, 2021, while anchored off Colombo, it caught fire while carrying a highly hazardous cargo — including 25 tonnes of nitric acid, methanol, caustic soda, lubricants, and an estimated 400 containers of plastic nurdles (small, pre-production plastic pellets used in manufacturing). The ship burned for nearly two weeks before sinking, triggering a major marine pollution crisis. An estimated 1,600 tonnes of plastic nurdles tonnes of plastic nurdles were spilled into the ocean and along Sri Lanka's western coastline, causing extensive and lasting environmental damage. These lentil-sized pellets, which absorb and concentrate toxic chemicals, are often mistaken for food by marine species. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) later described the incident as potentially the worst marine plastic pollution event from a single vessel in history. A recent BBC investigation found that the nurdles continue to absorb pollutants like heavy metals from the sea and are getting more toxic over time, compounding the long-term threat to marine ecosystems. In the weeks that followed, tonnes of dead marine animals — including dolphins, turtles, and fish — washed ashore. Coastal fishing communities, especially in the Western Province, were devastated by fishing bans, leading to severe economic and cultural impacts. Attorney General's department under fire The Court was sharply critical of the Attorney General's Department, particularly for its decision to file a civil compensation claim in Singapore rather than pursuing legal proceedings in Sri Lanka. The Court described this move as 'unreasonable, irrational, and arbitrary.' It was revealed during the hearings that the AGD had entered into an agreement with the shipowners granting 'exclusive jurisdiction' to Singaporean courts — effectively sidelining Sri Lanka's own legal system. The Court concluded that the AGD had infringed upon the rights of Sri Lankan citizens by failing to indict the ship's owners and operators, thereby undermining national sovereignty and accountability. The Court also held former State Minister of Urban Development Dr. Nalaka Godahewa, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), and its former chairperson Darshani Lahandapura responsible for violating the fundamental rights of citizens due to their failure in prevention, oversight, and timely response. Corruption allegations and police investigations In 2023, several parliamentarians alleged that the shipowners had paid a USD 250 million bribe to certain AGD officials to derail the compensation process. The police launched an investigation based on a complaint filed by a senior MEPA official — but the inquiry has since been stalled. In its ruling, the Court has directed the police to resume investigations into all criminal aspects of the case, including the bribery allegations, and to submit a progress report within three months. Additionally, the Court announced the formation of the MV X-Press Pearl Compensation Commission, which will undertake a comprehensive assessment of the environmental and economic damages. The USD 1 billion ordered is considered an interim payment and may be revised upward based on the commission's findings. Beyond the petitioners' demands Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, who represented several petitioners, told The Hindu that the judgment had exceeded expectations. 'The Supreme Court went well beyond what the petitioners asked for. It recognised not only the environmental loss but also the systemic failure of the state in its duty to protect the people's fundamental rights,' he said. The ruling has been welcomed by environmentalists, legal experts, and affected coastal communities as a rare and powerful assertion of environmental justice in South Asia — where foreign corporate polluters often avoid liability. Legal scholars suggest that the ruling may set a regional precedent for addressing transboundary environmental harm and enhancing corporate accountability, particularly in the context of hazardous maritime cargo. Can the ruling be enforced? One of the AGD's primary justifications for filing the civil case in Singapore was uncertainty over whether a Sri Lankan court judgment could be enforced internationally. However, Dr. Dabare argues that the Court has addressed this concern by defining the 'X-Press Pearl Group' to include the vessel's local agents — thereby ensuring domestic enforceability. 'If they fail to comply, local agents will face the full force of Sri Lankan law,' he said. Meanwhile, the Singapore civil suit remains on hold, pending an appeal in the UK Admiralty Court. The UK court is reviewing an earlier decision to limit the shipowners' liability to £19.8 million — a fraction of the damage Sri Lanka claims to have suffered. With the Supreme Court's ruling now far exceeding that liability cap, Dr. Dabare contends that it is no longer viable for Sri Lanka to pursue both legal avenues. 'This ruling marks a definitive legal stance,' he said. The shipowners have yet to publicly respond to the judgment. -Saroj Pathirana is a Fellow at the Pulitzer Ocean Reporting network.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- South China Morning Post
Singapore ship's owners ordered to pay Sri Lanka US$1 billion over plastic spill
Sri Lanka 's top court on Thursday ordered the owners of a Singapore-flagged container ship that sank near its capital to pay US$1 billion in compensation to the island nation's government for causing the most severe marine environmental catastrophe in the country's history. Advertisement The container ship MV X-Press Pearl , 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 numerous fish species that washed ashore after the incident. Debris from the ship, including several tonnes 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 judgment 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. Advertisement The incident 'continues to cause destruction and harm to Sri Lanka's marine environment,' said the judgement signed by five Supreme Court judges.
6 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
6 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.
