T'Puram firm, fisherfolk play major role in recovery of Elsa 3 containers

Efforts on to recover the remaining 10 containers, several of which are partially submerged

- UNNIKRISHNAN S @T'Puram

A second ship accident in the waters off the Kerala coast in a span of two weeks has put in focus the crucial role played by the coastal community and a local firm in emergency recovery of containers.

The Thiruvananthapuram-based Waterline Shipping and Logistics has been lauded for its quick response, harnessing the expertise of local fishermen to salvage containers from the rough seas after the sinking of MSC Elsa 3.

Waterline was engaged by the directorate general of shipping a day after the vessel sank around 14.6 nautical miles off the Alappuzha coast. Beginning May 26, the agency launched operations swiftly, continuing through May 29. They successfully identified 54 of the 61 containers that washed ashore and recovered 18 of them before major international salvage teams including T&T Salvage (USA) and MERC took over.