Kerala Govt mulls legal action against Liberian vessel MSC Elsa over environmental threat

The Kerala government is considering legal action against the Liberian vessel MSC Elsa, which capsized on May 25 while en route to Kochi from Vizhinjam Port.

Legal advice has been sought from the Advocate General on the possibility of initiating civil and criminal proceedings against the owner of MSC Elsa, in light of the serious environmental threat that has emerged off the Kerala coast following the ship’s sinking.

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Environmentalists and residents near the coastal areas have expressed grave concerns regarding the toxic materials believed to have been stored onboard the capsized ship.

The Liberian-flagged container vessel MSC Elsa 3 sank in the early hours of May 25, approximately 38 nautical miles from Kochi, posing a significant environmental risk.

The ship was carrying 643 containers, including 13 with hazardous substances and 12 containing calcium carbide.

However, neither the ship’s owner, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) nor port authorities or customs officials have issued a detailed statement, further deepening public anxiety.

Floating containers and hazardous materials have already started washing ashore, posing a severe threat to marine ecosystems and public health.

So far, 44 containers have drifted to the shores of Kollam, Alappuzha, and Thiruvananthapuram. While measures have been taken to control potential oil spills, the risk of oil reaching the Kerala coast remains a concern.

In this context, the Kerala government is seriously contemplating legal proceedings against the ship’s owners.

Several fishermen’s associations have demanded appropriate compensation, fearing that the chemicals could cause long-term damage to marine life and jeopardize their livelihoods.

The vessel, which had reported listing approximately 38 nautical miles off the Kochi coast, ultimately sank into the Arabian Sea on Sunday morning.

It was carrying 640 containers including the aforementioned hazardous materials—as well as 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil.