Kerala govt reveals cargo details of MSC Elsa 3 cargo ship

The Keral state government has released a detailed breakdown of the cargo on board the ship that recently sank in the Arabian Sea off Kerala’s Kochi coast. According to the report, 13 containers were carrying calcium carbide, a chemical that reacts with water to produce highly flammable acetylene gas. Of these, 8 containers were stored in the ship’s inner compartments, while 5 were kept outside, raising environmental and safety concerns due to potential water exposure.

Additionally, the government addressed confusion around four containers labelled ‘cash’, clarifying that they contained cashew nuts, not currency. In total, the cargo included 46 containers loaded with coconuts and cashews, while 87 containers were carrying timber.

Kerala government face criticism for slow investigation into the sinking of a cargo ship off the Kochi coast. The Director General of Shipping has admitted that the ship sank because of a mistake with ballast water, which helps keep the ship balanced. The ship filled this water at Adani’s Vizhinjam port after loading cargo, before setting sail. It is alleged that the government is taking time to file a case because it would bring port authorities into investigation.

According to government sources, the lack of action is due to the accident occurring outside the state’s 12-nautical-mile jurisdiction. India’s territorial waters extend 12 nautical miles from the coastline. Beyond that is the contiguous zone (up to 24 NM) and then the Exclusive Economic Zone (up to 200 NM), which fall under central government jurisdiction. This means that the Kerala government is not legally required to start an investigation.

However, since the ship took ballast water at Vizhinjam, some part of the ship’s voyage and safety checks fall under state oversight. It is the people along Kerala coastline who are prone to the danger of cargo and oil spill risk. Several fishermen have already said that they are getting a reduced catch and public are hesitant to buy fish from them fearing pollution.