Authorities step up efforts to contain pollution and recover containers

Kochi: Authorities have ramped up efforts to contain pollution and recover containers after a Liberian-flagged container ship, MSC ELSA 3, capsized and sank off the Kerala coast on May 25.

At a press conference here on Wednesday, senior officials from the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) and the Directorate General of Shipping briefed reporters on the ongoing response.

The ship, built in Germany in 1997, was 184 metres long and carried 640 containers, including 13 containing hazardous materials. It had 367.1 tonne of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) and 84.44 tonne of marine diesel on board. All 24 crew members were rescued safely.

Authorities confirmed minor oil and diesel leaks. More than 100 containers were lost at sea, with several washing ashore in Ernakulam, Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts.

The Indian Coast Guard has deployed ships and aircraft to monitor the area, while dispersants are being used under the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan. Drone surveys and scanning tools are helping track oil traces.

Capt Abul Kalam Azad, Nautical Advisor to the Government of India, said the three main priorities are-- recovering oil from the sunken vessel, retrieving drifting containers, and removing those washed ashore.

“The oil recovery operation is currently underway, with the salvage team setting July 3, 2025, as the completion target. So far, 50 containers have been identified from seven different coastal locations. The priority is to recover all of them within the next 48 hours,” he said.