Mumbai: Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has directed the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) to monitor the aftermath of the Liberian-flagged cargo shipwreck off the Kerala coast every two hours. The vessel, which sank between Vizhinjam and Kochi on Sunday, caused a major oil spill and environmental concern.
Speaking at the 36th Foundation Day event of the Directorate General of Shipping, Minister Sonowal said, “All necessary steps have been taken, especially to protect coastal life and the environment. Our DG Shipping has been instructed to closely coordinate with the Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy, and other agencies including the Kerala Government and disaster management authorities.”
The cargo vessel was carrying 643 containers, including 13 loaded with hazardous materials such as calcium carbide — a chemical that reacts dangerously with water to release highly flammable acetylene gas. Of the total containers, 73 were empty. Fortunately, all crew members were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard and a Navy ship.
The incident has triggered a statewide alert as oil continues to leak from the sunken vessel. The Indian Coast Guard confirmed the ship had 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil in its tanks. Authorities warn that the fuel is drifting at about 3 km per hour and could soon reach ecologically sensitive zones along the Kerala coastline.
Containers from the sunken vessel have begun washing ashore in districts like southern Kollam and coastal Alappuzha. Officials have urged the public to stay away from them due to safety concerns.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan convened a high-level meeting to assess the developing situation. An advisory has been issued urging coastal residents and fishermen to remain alert.
A senior DG Shipping official explained that three critical aspects are being addressed: recovering the containers that have reached the shore, extracting the remaining oil from the sunken vessel, and ensuring no long-term environmental damage is done. Specialized oil spill response vessels have been deployed, alongside aerial surveillance and containment operations.
However, adverse weather conditions are complicating the cleanup and salvage efforts. “We’re doing coordinated, three-hourly planning. The Coast Guard has restricted all vessel movement in the affected area and deployed two specialized capital vessels for oil spill containment,” the official said.
He also noted that natural evaporation could help mitigate some of the diesel spill, estimating a potential 20–25% reduction if weather conditions improve. Nonetheless, a recovery plan from the salvage team is still awaited, which remains a key concern for the authorities.
Efforts to contain and mitigate the environmental impact continue as central and state agencies work in coordination to manage the fallout of the maritime disaster.
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