The DGMA files a statement on the steps taken for the technical assessment of the MSC Elsa 3 wreck

MSC Elsa 3, a container ship carrying dangerous cargo that sank off the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea on May 25, 2025.

The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has informed the Kerala High Court of the steps taken to examine the feasibility of conducting an independent technical assessment of the MSC Elsa 3 wreck.

A Division Bench of Justice V. Raja Vijayaraghavan and KV Jayakumar observed that the Directorate had requested the Indian Navy to explore the possibility of using its specialized technical resources and expertise to assess the condition of submerged containers and dangerous cargo through underwater survey.

The Directorate further informed the court that it has identified two Indian firms – C Track Surveys and Fugro Survey India Pvt. Ltd. — with the technical capability to perform the proposed multi-beam and side scan of the wreck and the wreck site.

The court heard a series of public interest litigations (PILs) seeking the removal of hazardous debris and compensation for fishermen affected by the sinking of the MSC Elsa 3, a Liberian-flagged ship owned by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) that sank off the coast of Alappuzha in 2025.

The directorate also clarified that the responsibility and cost of the proposed surveys will have to be borne by MSC under the supervision of relevant authorities and technical institutions. For this purpose, it sought to constitute an inter-departmental committee comprising representatives of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Department of Mercantile Marine, Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority and relevant scientific and technical institutions such as National Institute of Oceanography and National Institute of Ocean Technology.

Ummer Ottummal, a petitioner in one of the PILs, said it was up to the central government to determine whether the wreck posed a hazard and that aspects set out in the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, including features of the wreck, tidal range and depth in the area of the wreck, proximity to protected areas, marine routes, offshore oil pipelines and tourist spots, the affected meteorological areas should be considered as sensitive sites and the relevant meteorological area.

Published – 23 Sep 2026 06:11 IST