Kerala on High Alert After Cargo Vessel MSC ELSA 3 Sinks with Hazardous Materials

A Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, MSC ELSA 3, carrying 640 containers, including 13 with hazardous materials, sank off the Kerala coast on Sunday, prompting an environmental alert. The vessel, operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), capsized around 14 nautical miles off the coast in the Arabian Sea, following a severe 26-degree starboard tilt caused by flooding in one of its holds. All 24 crew members, including nationals from Russia, the Philippines, Ukraine, and Georgia, were successfully rescued by a joint operation led by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Indian Navy.

Concerns quickly escalated over the risk of oil leakage and hazardous chemical spillage, particularly calcium carbide, which reacts dangerously with seawater to release flammable acetylene gas. The vessel reportedly carried 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, triggering a full-scale pollution response preparedness from the ICG.

ICG deployed aerial surveillance using aircraft equipped with advanced oil spill detection systems, while ships like ICG Saksham equipped with pollution response tools remain stationed at the site. The Kerala state government issued a coastal alert and prohibited fishing within a 20-nautical mile radius of the accident site. Around 100 containers may have already fallen into the sea, potentially drifting towards the coasts of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, and Ernakulam.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) projected that oil pollutants might reach sensitive coastal zones like Alappuzha, Ambalapuzha, Arattupuzha, and Karunagappally within 36-48 hours. Simulation results indicated a 45% probability that floating containers could wash ashore in Alappuzha district.

In response, Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) have been deployed to manage the drifting containers, with additional support from the Pollution Control Board, State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA), and local police forces. The government has urged the public not to touch foreign objects or containers and to report them by calling 112.

While the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) lacks the maritime equipment to assist directly, the ICG remains the primary responder, ready with booms, skimmers, and dispersants. The situation remains critical, and efforts are underway to contain potential environmental damage.