Oil, chemicals & chaos: A maritime disaster off Kerala's coast
The sinking of Liberia-flagged cargo ship MSC ELSA 3 off Kerala’s coast has triggered a major environmental threat, releasing oil and hazardous chemicals into the sea
The Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC ELSA 3 (Photo: @SpokespersonMoD / X)
Coastal areas of 'God's Own Country', Kerala, one of the most ecologically sensitive regions in the nation, have suddenly been confronted with an unforeseeable danger! A cargo ship, the Liberia-flagged MSC ELSA 3, while sailing between the Indian ports of Vizhinjam and Kochi, sank about 38 nautical miles (70 kilometres) off the shore of the State early on Sunday morning due to one of its compartments flooding.
The naval history of the world is peppered with such tales of ships sinking and, in modern times, after the transition to fossil oils to power these, pose a major threat to beaches and marine life due to the formation of oil slicks. In the case of the MSC ELSA 3, not only was it carrying 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, it had also been loaded with 640 containers, including 13 with an unspecified "hazardous cargo" and 12 containing calcium carbide, the latter being a chemical that reacts with seawater to release a flammable gas.
It is needless to point out that the latter factor has increased manifold the danger to the Kerala coastline, as the oil slick can reach anywhere along the shore, spreading the harmful substances the ship was carrying, which may have leaked into the sea, posing a serious risk to local residents and marine life.
The coastal wetlands, lagoons and mangroves, which are unique fragile coastal ecosystems in Kerala, are already under the threat of global warming and projected sea level rise. How this additional threat will adversely impact the socio-economic wellbeing of the coastal communities is anybody's guess, given that they are dependent on the sea for livelihoods like fishing.
Past experience elsewhere forebodes that an oil slick will spell disaster to the rich marine and avian biodiversity of Kerala. Moreover, if Kerala has been a huge success with tourists, it has been primarily due to its pristine coastline and beaches. Tourism has sustained its hospitality industry, and any pollution due to the sinking of the ship will prove to be an economic disaster for the entire State. It is good that not only the Kerala government, but also the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, have comprehended the gravity of the situation and are going all out to combat the oil spill and hazardous materials leak.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems are conducting aerial surveillance, and a number of ICG ships carrying pollution response equipment have been deployed at the site. Apart from using infrared cameras to detect the oil spill area, the vessels are also spraying anti-pollutant dispersants to contain its spread.
The Kerala essay is a rare and welcome example of joint cooperation between the Centre and a non-NDA State and must be lauded and emulated by others.