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MV X-Press Pearl disaster: Wreck removal further delayed

18 Sep 2021

  • Local and international partners agree to remove wreck
By Yumiko Perera The removal of the MV X-Press Pearl wreck has been further delayed owing to the prevailing bad weather conditions, The Sunday Morning learnt. Speaking with The Sunday Morning, Minister of Justice Ali Sabry stated that a consensus was reached among local and international experts that the wreck removal would take place after the monsoon season, and added that the site was being closely monitored for the time being by both local and international agents. “The owners are responsible for the wreck removal process, and this includes the vessel as well as the cargo, which is a complicated procedure. The vessel’s insurers, P&I Club, are making necessary arrangements for the wreck removal in consultation with salvage experts, naval architects, salvage engineers, etc. and are in the process of selecting a suitable wreck removal agency,” he stated. Furthermore, Sabry went on to note that the wreck was being monitored by the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), along with a specialised team of the Sri Lankan Navy and agents of “Resolve Marine”, a company that was hired by the vessel’s owner as the interim caretaker onsite. The Minister of Justice added that the wreck removal would proceed as soon as the inclement weather conditions subside, so as to minimise any damage on the ecological balance of the waters in the vicinity. Several attempts by The Sunday Morning to contact Merchant Shipping Secretariat Director General Ajith Seneviratne and MEPA Chairman Dharshani Lahandapura for further insights in this regard proved futile. Sri Lanka received Rs. 720 million as compensation for the initial interim claim for the X-Press Pearl disaster in June, out of which Rs. 420 million was allocated to compensate those who were directly impacted by the incident in the fisheries sector while Rs. 300 million was allocated to locate the remaining sunken containers of the vessel. The X-Press Pearl vessel caught fire on 20 May, resulting in some of its cargo being exposed to the sea. The incident, which the MEPA dubbed “the worst marine environmental disaster in Sri Lankan history”, resulted in the release of chemicals and plastic pellets into the ocean. The pollution of the sea and the coastline of Sri Lanka by the disaster was linked to the death of hundreds of marine animals, and experts warned that Sri Lanka could suffer long-term effects from the pollution.


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