Cargo ship sinking raises concerns over impact on Kerala's marine resources

Thiruvananthapuram: The oil spill from the Liberian cargo ship MSC ELSA3 that sank in the Arabian Sea, off Kerala coast, as well as the presence of hazardous substances in the containers have triggered concerns over the impact on the marine ecology -- especially since monsoon is fish breeding season.

Already, the state fisheries department and other agencies working in the field have started testing the sea water. The ICAR- Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) is closely monitoring the situation.

CMFRI Director Dr Grinson George said that the ecological and economic impact would depend on the scale of the leakage.

"If the spill spreads, it may harm marine productivity, especially during the monsoon—a critical period for pelagic fish breeding and growth. The monsoon season typically supports high marine productivity, and we had anticipated a strong fishing season. The scale of impact is dependent on the amount of leakage and how we can contain the spreading," he said in a statement.

CMFRI will conduct field surveys, collect samples, and track the spill’s movement to evaluate its ecological effects, he said.

The cargo vessel that was moving towards Kochi from Vizhinjam started tilting on Saturday afternoon, and it sank by Sunday morning at 14.6 nautical miles away from Thottappally spillway in Alappuzha district. The containers washed ashore at Kollam and Alappuzha coastal areas which are strong fishing regions of the state.