X Press Pearl

The removal of X-Press Pearl, the shipwrecked container ship, is expected to commence early next month. The Marine Environmental Protection Authority will be undertaking removal activities. However, this will have to follow pre-decided terms and conditions.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing has reportedly said that the final report on ecological damage as a result of the accident will be shared before 30 November this year.

The Marine Environment Protection Authority...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/mepa-to-undertake-x-press-pearls-wreck-removal-early-next-month/

S. Prabhakaran, Colombo Additional Magistrate, on 30 September ordered to lift the travel ban that was imposed on three MV X-Press Pearl crew members. MV X-Press Pearl, a Singapore-registered cargo ship, had caught on fire on 20 May in Sri Lankan waters while carrying cargo that included some toxic chemicals.

Representation Image – Credits: @IndianNavy

On considering Deputy Solicitor General Madhava Tennakoon’s request, the Additional Magistrate asked that the travel ban be lifted and allowed the...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/3-seafarers-from-mv-x-press-pearl-finally-free-as-their-travel-ban-gets-lifted/

Seven employees of the local agents of the MV X-Press Pearl were arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and had been granted bail eventually.

The suspects had been produced before a Magistrate. They were released on bail. Arjuna Hettiarachchi, Chairman of Setmil Group of companies, the operators of the vessel, and local agent of X-Press Feeder, was arrested earlier in July. Hettiarachchi was granted bail later on by the court.

Image Credits: @IndianNavy

The ship’s captain had...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/sri-lanka-seven-employees-of-local-agent-of-x-press-pearl-ship-arrested/

Indian hydrographic naval ship Sarvekshak has discovered a concentration of debris within three miles of the wreck of X-press Pearl that sank off the coast of Colombo in early June.

On Thursday, officials said that Sarvekshak arrived from India to aid Sri Lanka’s underwater survey programs around the gutted X-press Pearl to ensure the safety of navigation in that area.

Image Credits: @IndianNavy

Indian Navy officials have said that Sarvekshak has conducted concurrent surveys in three search areas....

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/indian-hydrographic-naval-ship-surveys-around-x-press-pearl-ship-off-sri-lanka/

Sri Lanka announced on Wednesday that the X-Press Pearl disaster had brought the deaths of over 200 marine animals, including 20 dolphins, four whales, and 176 sea turtles after a chemical-laden ship caught fire and later sank.

Image Credits: Sri Lanka Air Force / @airforcelk

The Attorney General’s office informed a court in Colombo that more than 150 giant turtles have been found, adding to the number of dead animals that had washed up on the country’s pristine beaches recently.

The fire on the...

https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/ecological-disaster-caused-by-mv-x-press-pearl-sinking-killed-200-marine-animals-so-far/