The Shanghai Salvage company is making progress on the wreck removal of the container ship X-Press Pearl.
The Sri Lanka Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has released photographs of the stern section of the wrecked 2,743-teu container ship X-Press Pearl (built 2021) loaded onto a heavy lift vessel in preparation for recycling.
The ship was cut in two and the stern section shipped out first.
The MEPA said it is “constantly monitoring the situation” to “minimise the possible damage to the environment”.
The X-Press Pearl sank off the coast of Colombo after it was overcome by a massive cargo fire that continued for nearly two weeks in May 2021.
The vessel had only just been delivered from a Chinese shipyard.
The incident is Sri Lanka’s worst-ever maritime pollution incident.
Around 11,000 tonnes of tiny plastic nurdles washed up on Sri Lanka’s beaches damaging the local and marine environment.
There was also 348 tonnes of bunker fuel on the ship.
So far, around $5m in compensation has been paid out mostly to the local fishing industry, which was badly affected by the incident.
Eight people, including the ship’s Russian master, were indicted over the casualty.
The MEPA has claimed environmental damage could run into billions of US dollars and is seeking further compensation.
The vessel’s P&I insurance was placed with the London P&I Club, while the Swedish Club led its hull and machinery cover.
