India takes action against MSC over sinking of 28-year-old ship

Two recent ship casualties are making daily headlines in India, and stirring debate about cracking down on ageing vessels passing through the nation’s waters. 

Nearly three weeks after the 28-year-old MSC Elsa 3 capsized off the coast of Kerala, the state’s coastal police have officially registered a criminal case against Mediterranean Shipping Co, the vessel’s owner, as well as the ship’s master, and its crew. The move follows mounting public pressure and criticism of the government’s perceived inaction in the aftermath of the high-profile maritime incident, which has seen pollution – including plastic nurdles – wash up on a long strip of Indian coastline.

The 1997-built  containership was en route from Vizhinjam Port to Kochi when it sank on May 25, approximately 25 km southwest of Alappuzha. The vessel was carrying over 600 containers, including hazardous cargo and tonnes of marine diesel fuel.

Several containers washed ashore along Kerala’s coastline, while plastic pellets, known as nurdles, were scattered across the shores of Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram. Additionally, small oil slicks were reported along the Alappuzha coast.

The case brought against MSC and the ship’s crew cites rash navigation and negligent conduct.

Meanwhile, another accident in Kerala is also garnering many headlines. 

Indian authorities have successfully attached a towline to the burning 20-year-old Wan Hai 503 containership which caught fire off the Kerala coast on Monday and looks like a constructive total loss.

The fire, which erupted between Beypore and Azhikkal ports, has continued to rage across sections of the ship despite intense firefighting from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and a specialist team from the Marine Emergency Response Centre. The ship remains afloat, enveloped in thick plumes of smoke, as authorities now weigh next steps amid mounting environmental and safety concerns.

An initial plan to tow the 4,333 teu ship to New Mangalore Port has been shelved due to the persistent threat of a large explosion. The fire has crept dangerously close to fuel storage tanks holding 2,000 tonnes of fuel oil and 240 tonnes of diesel.

The Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) has warned that fallen containers from the ship may drift toward the Kerala coast—specifically between Kozhikode and Thrissur—as well as parts of southern Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka in the coming days. The ship remains adrift, shifting its position and complicating drift forecasts.

While there has been no structural failure reported on the vessel aside from a 15° list to port, the presence of 143 containers with highly dangerous cargo remains a pressing concern. 

Of the 22 crewmembers on the Wan Hai 503, 18 have been rescued and four remain missing—two from Taiwan, one from Indonesia, and one from Myanmar. Search and rescue operations are ongoing by air and sea. Among the five injured, one Chinese national has been discharged, while two others remain in intensive care in Mangaluru.