The Kerala High Court has ordered MSC Shipping Company, the owner of the sunken vessel MSC Elisa-3, to deposit ₹1,200 crore as part of an interim directive over the shipwreck in the Arabian Sea. The order was delivered by Justice M. A. Abdul Hakeem while hearing the admiralty suit filed by the state government.
The Kerala government has sought a massive ₹9,531 crore in damages, citing oil spill pollution, loss of livelihoods for fishermen, and ecological destruction caused by hazardous waste and plastic debris from the vessel’s containers.
The company countered that the claim was unrealistic, also questioning Kerala’s jurisdiction since the accident occurred 14.5 nautical miles beyond state waters.
The tragedy struck on May 24, when the 184-meter-long, 26-meter-wide cargo ship tilted 38 nautical miles off Kochi’s coast. Despite attempts to stabilize it, the vessel eventually sank completely, releasing pollutants and waste into the sea.
