THE OCEANS are
so vast and deep that until fairly recently, it was widely assumed that no
matter how much trash and chemicals humans dumped into them, the effects would
be negligible. Ocean water covers more
than 70 percent of the Earth, and only in recent decades have we begun to
understand how humans impact this watery habitat. Marine pollution, as distinct
from overall water pollution, focuses on human-created products that enter the
ocean. Each year, there are thousands of oil and chemical spills in coastal
waters across the globe. These spills range from small ship collisions to fuel
transfer mishaps to massive spill events that spoil the marine environ and
create so much of difficulty for marine life.
In Marine, often the
discussion is on “Perils of the sea” that encompasses the natural accidents
peculiar to the sea. It can be maritime accidents and dangers such as storms,
waves, wind, collision of the vessel, fire, smoke and noxious fumes; sinking,
flooding and capsizing, loss of propulsion or steering, and any other hazards
resulting from the unique environment of the sea. Other than inevitable perils
or accidents upon the sea are not excused, whether there is a bill of lading
containing the expression of peril of the sea. It also includes accidents
caused as a result of stranding, striking a submerged object, or encountering
heavy weather or other unusual forces of nature.
Marine
Insurance Act defines : “maritime
perils” as the perils consequent on, or
incidental to, the navigation of the sea, that is to say, perils of the sea,
fire, war perils, pirates, rovers, thieves, captures, seizures, restraints and
detainments of princes and peoples, jettisons, barratry and any other perils
which are either of the like kind or may be designated by the policy; The term “perils of the seas” refers only to
fortuitous accidents or casualties of the seas. It does not include the
ordinary action of the winds and waves.
Nitric acid
(HNO3), also known as aqua fortis (Latin for "strong water") and
spirit of niter, is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The pure compound is
colorless, but older samples tend to acquire a yellow cast due to decomposition
into oxides of nitrogen and water. Most commercially available nitric acid has
a concentration of 68% in water. When the solution contains more than 86% HNO3,
it is referred to as fuming nitric acid.
Nitric acid is also commonly used as a strong oxidizing agent.
Their web site describes them as : X-PRESS FEEDERS is the largest independent common carrier in the world with a rich corporate history since 1972. It is our mission to be "The Global Common Carrier" of choice, in providing the most reliable and cost-effective service to support our customers feedering needs. Being a SOC common carrier, X-PRESS FEEDERS do not compete with any of our customers. We operate a fleet of more than 110 vessels (up to New Panamax size), including 43 fully owned, covering all the major global transhipment hubs throughout Asia, Africa, Caribbean, Latin Americas, Europe, Mediterranean and Middle East. In 2019, our group’s annual throughput recorded 5.6 million TEUs in excess, placing us 18th position on Alphaliner TOP 100 list. As an independent common carrier, X-PRESS FEEDERS do not own, lease or operate any containers. We provide only transportation services to container operators and not for proprietary cargo interests or for the general shipping public.
One of their
vessels “X-Press Pearl” is in news ! -
it was a Singaporean Super Eco
2700–class container ship, built in 2021, measuring around 186 metres (610 ft) long. X-Press Pearl was built by
Zhoushan Changhong International Shipyard Co. Ltd of China for Singapore-based
X-Press Feeders, along with its sister ship X-Press Mekong. The
37,000-deadweight tonne (DWT) container vessel could carry 2,743 twenty-foot
equivalent units. The ship was delivered on 10 February 2021 and was deployed on the Straits to Middle
East service (SMX) of X-Press Feeders from Port Klang (Malaysia) via Singapore
and Jebel Ali (UAE) to Port Hamad (Qatar). The return journey was via Hazira
(India) and Colombo (Sri Lanka) back to Malaysia. The vessel had made three
voyages, calling at Colombo on 17 March and 18 April, and caught fire shortly
after its third call at the port on 19 May.
The ship departed the port
of Hazira, India, on 15 May 2021. The container vessel was reportedly laden
with 1,486 containers, with contents including 25 tons of nitric acid, other
chemicals, cosmetics and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) pellets. It
arrived in Colombo on 19 May; there are some reports that the container
ship was denied entry in the Hamad Port of Qatar and in Hazira Port of India
before entering the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka though this is being rebuffed. X-Press
Feeders, the owners of the vessel, said the crew had discovered a container
leaking nitric acid and requested Hamad Port in Qatar and Hazira to offload it.
The request was denied as "there were no specialist facilities or
expertise immediately available to deal with the leaking acid", and the
vessel proceeded on its planned journey to Colombo, according to Wikipedia
report.
The ship reached Colombo
on the night of 19 May and was anchored in the outer harbor awaiting a berth.
The ship did not declare an emergency or the cargo acid leak. On 20 May the
ship's agents requested a re-working of the container. It was reported that the ship caught fire on
20 May, 9.5 nautical miles (17.6 km; 10.9 mi) northwest of the Colombo Port. The Sri Lanka Navy, along with the Sri Lanka
Ports Authority, which got aboard the ship in order to find out the cause of
fire, suspected that the fire might have started as a result of the reaction of
chemicals being transported on the ship. On 25 May, a large explosion took
place inside the vessel and all 25 crew members were evacuated safely from the
vessel. The fire continued to blaze during 25 May, and by late afternoon
containers were dropping off the vessel into the sea. The Sri Lanka Maritime
Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) declared a Tier II oil spill event
from on-board bunkers as the blaze got worse. India dispatched firefighting and pollution
control Coast Guard vessels, a tug and a Dornier maritime reconnaissance
aircraft to help containment measures, and fishermen were asked to stay clear
of the ship.
On 29 May, X-Press Pearl was still smouldering
and belching smoke, though flames were down. Hull integrity was still intact.
Firefighting tugs continued to pour water on the ship. The Sri Lanka Air Force
dropped dry chemical powder. The Indian Coast Guard vessel ICG Samudra Prahari,
a pollution control ship, joined the task force. Salvors boarded the vessel on 1 June for the
first inspection and reportedly observed that the engine room flooded and smoke
still coming out from cargo hold 1, 2 and 3 intermittently. After burning for 12 days, the vessel sank on
2 June as it was being towed away to deeper waters.
The incident threatens to be the worst marine ecological
disaster in Sri Lankan history due to the oil and chemical products on board. General Average has been declared on the
X-Press Feeders ship, which was carrying around 25 tons of acid among the 1,486
containers onboard. “The biggest threat
to container shipping is fire onboard on ships,” a spokesperson is quoted as
saying.
Sri Lankan authorities
Sunday said they will sue the owners of a Singapore-registered cargo carrier
which has burned for 11 straight days off the island's west coast and caused
some of its worst-ever marine pollution. Police said a criminal investigation
was also launched into the blaze aboard the MV X-Press Pearl, which was
carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid and a huge amount of plastic raw materials. The
intense fire, still burning at the rear of the 186 metre (610 feet) vessel, has
destroyed much of the cargo, some of which also fell into the Indian Ocean. Tonnes
of microplastic granules have inundated the South Asian nation's famed beaches, forcing a fishing ban and sparking
fears of ecological devastation.
Sri Lanka's Marine
Environment Protection Authority said it met with attorney general Sanjaya
Rajaratnam on Sunday to plan legal action against the owners of the vessel, its
crew, as well as insurers. "We have gone through the details and will be
taking action against those responsible," MEPA Chairman Dharshani
Lahandapura told reporters in Colombo. She said they were, however, yet to make
an assessment of the environmental damage, but she believed it was the
"worst marine pollution" Sri Lanka has ever suffered.
While the media reports
mention the sinking of the vessel, the official release of X-Press Feeders,
operators of the container ship 'X-Press Pearl' states that it can confirm that the situation on scene
remains the same with no signs of debris and no reports of fuel oil pollution
as of 0700 Sri Lanka local time as of today ie., 4th June 2021
No doubt it is a big
Marine loss for Cargo owners, container owners, traders, logistics operators,
the owners of the ship, freight interest, Srilankan port and for the Sea .. .. … .
4th June 2021.
Photos from
twitter page of Srilankan Navy & Kanchana
Wijesekera State Minister of Fisheries. Srilanka
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