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Kerala Coast Faces Future Pollution Threat from Sunken Containers
9 Sep
Summary
- Containers lost at sea pose future pollution risk if cargo escapes.
- Cargo includes plastics, food, and chemicals; some may sink, others float.
- Remedial measures and a draft oil spill plan are underway for the coast.
A pollution risk assessment indicates that containers lost at sea off the Kerala coast may cause future shoreline impacts. This risk arises if the containers' cargo escapes into the marine environment due to corrosion over decades. The assessment was submitted by the owner of the vessel Wan Hai 503 following a fire and explosion on June 9, 2025.
The cargo consists of miscellaneous goods, plastic resins and pellets, food, and inorganic chemicals. Some substances may sink, while lighter items like plastic pellets and food could float, eventually reaching shorelines. The vessel, carrying approximately 1,754 containers, was later towed to Jebel Ali in the UAE.
Officials have initiated remedial measures for the coast, which has experienced shipwrecks. A draft Oil Spill Contingency Plan is being developed to map the Environmental Sensitive Index and create response plans for potential oil spills along the Kerala coast.
