Court halts Kerala's negotiations with sunken ship owners

The Kerala High Court has temporarily halted the negotiation process initiated by the state government with the Mediterranean Shipping Company regarding compensation for the damage and cargo loss resulting from the sinking of the MSC Elsa III last month.

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In light of this incident, which has significant environmental and economic implications, the state established a negotiation committee tasked with evaluating the compensation needed for several factors: the damage caused by the ship's collision, the restoration of coastal ecosystems and marine life, the removal of the wreck from the water, and the economic losses incurred by local fishermen dependent on these waters.

MSC, recognised as the biggest container shipping line globally, conducts numerous port calls at Vizhinjam, also known as the Port of Trivandrum, each month, accommodating even the most massive vessels such as the MSC IRINA and MSC Tukiye.