India's Appeal to the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Due to increasing incidents of vessel sinking and fires off the Indian coast, India has requested the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) to enhance container safety and cargo disclosure regulations urgently.
Recent Maritime Incidents
- India highlighted two significant incidents:
- Sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3.
- Fire aboard MV Wan Hai 503, which is yet to be fully extinguished.
- These incidents underscore the critical need for improved safety measures for container ships carrying hazardous materials like lithium-ion batteries and plastic nurdles.
India's Position and Recommendations
- India insists that relying solely on shipper declarations is inadequate.
- Cargo management should be transparent, and shipowners must adopt advanced technologies to prevent such incidents.
- Stronger regulatory mechanisms are essential for container ship safety and crew protection.
Environmental and Safety Impact
- Plastic nurdles continue to wash ashore in Kerala, prompting clean-up efforts.
- The failure of 65 containers overboard has led to significant environmental damage.
- Additional incidents with flammable substances occurred near Mumbai and Kerala coasts.
- Both incidents caused ecological harm to coastal fishing communities.
Future Actions and Meetings
- India plans to share findings from ongoing safety investigations at future IMO meetings.
- The next Maritime Safety Committee meeting is scheduled for May 2026, while the Marine Environment Protection Committee will meet in October.
- India emphasized the activation of rapid search and rescue operations despite the incidents involving foreign vessels and crews.
