Kochi ship accident: 50 containers washed ashore so far, no major oil spill

Kochi: Fifty containers have so far washed ashore along coastal regions of Kerala after the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3 sank off the Kochi coast, the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) said on Wednesday. Authorities said that the priority now is to recover the remaining containers within the next 48 hours. 

The 184-metre-long vessel, which was carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, sank on Sunday. The ship contained 367.1 tonne of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) and 84.44 tonne of marine diesel. 

The government has confirmed minor oil and diesel leaks but assured that they do not amount to a major spill. "While minor oil traces have been detected, there has been no major oil spill. All traces found along the coast are being cleaned up through coordinated efforts," said Senthil Kumar, Principal Officer, MMD Kochi. 

Authorities also said that the oil recovery operation is underway, with the salvage team aiming to complete the process by July 3, 2025. They also urged coastal residents to remain calm and not panic.

The government has outlined three major operational priorities: oil recovery from the sunken vessel, retrieval of drifting containers, and removal of beached containers. "The Ministry and DG Shipping are fully cognizant of the magnitude and complexity of the situation. All mechanisms are in place to address the issue and avert any further mishap," said Ajithkumar Sukumaran, Chief Surveyor to the Government of India.

The government has also deployed 108 personnel for shoreline cleanup and container retrieval operations. It also made available additional 38 personnel for emergency response in Thiruvananthapuram, Alappuzha, and Kollam.