Fuel extraction from sunken vessel MSC Elsa 3 to be completed by September 25

KOCHI: The extraction of fuel from container vessel MSC Elsa 3 , which sank into the depths of the Arabian Sea, 14.6 nautical miles off the Alappuzha coast, has reached an advanced stage and the task is expected to be completed by September 25, the Director General of Shipping (DGS) said in a release on Thursday. The depth of the sea where the ship has been located is 51 metres. The fuel extraction from the sunken vessel commenced on August 20 with saturation diving operations using advanced 'Diving Support Vessel (DSV) Southern Nova'. Specialized divers have been mobilised and preliminary activities have begun, marking a significant step in the process of fuel extraction and wreck management. The operation was suspended on July 12 due to adverse weather conditions experienced at the site due to South West Monsoon. A support vessel, 'Offshore Monarch, is assisting the Diving Support vessel in the fuel extraction at the site. Additionally, a tug, 'Canara Megh', has been deployed to monitor operations and enforce a one nautical mile exclusion (No-fishing) zone around the wreck site to ensure safe diving activities. Entry of fishermen has been banned in the one nautical mile radius around the site of operation. Despite challenging underwater conditions, the salvage team has successfully initiated the diving phase, which will continue in a phased manner, subject to weather and sea currents, the DGS said. As per the plan submitted by the SMIT Salvage firm engaged by the ship owners and the Protection and Indemnity insurer North Standard, the tentative timeline for oil removal and associated activities is set for completion by 25th September 2025. However, the progress remains weather-dependent. Environmental surveillance of the area is also being maintained through aerial, coastal and satellite monitoring in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and State pollution control authorities. While no oil spills have occurred so far from the sunken vessel, precautionary measures remain in place, with response equipment on standby to address any eventuality. As many as 66 containers and other debris of MSC Elsa 3 have washed ashore the Kerala Coast till date, which have been safely removed by the Marine Emergency Response Centre (MERC) team appointed by the owners. No other containers or debris have been sighted along the coast at present. The shore-side cleanup efforts by the MERC team to remove the plastic nurdles along the Kerala and Southern Tamil Nadu Coast progressed very well with the help of more than 500 volunteers per day. So far, 655 tons of plastic nurdles have been collected from the coastal areas and kept segregated for disposal, he said.