Singapore-based X-Press Feeders has been hit by a second compensation claim from Sri Lanka over the pollution caused when one of its container ships caught fire and sank off the Indian Ocean nation's coastline in May.
The feeder container company said on Wednesday that this second claim against the 2,756-teu X-Press Pearl (built 2021) is being reviewed by the vessel owners' P&I Club and discussions are ongoing.
No details as to the nature or amount of this additional claim were given.
P&I coverage for the X-Press Pearl is provided by the London P&I Club. Costs of more than $10m will be passed on to the International Group of P&I Clubs claims pool.
X-Press Feeders said that Shanghai Salvage, also known as China Offshore Engineering Solutions, has mobilised the equipment needed to remove the wreck from the seabed.
"The wreck removal plan will ensure a complete removal and safe, proper disposal of the wreck and any debris and pollutants around the wreck," the company said.
"The wreck removal team will be supported by response tugs on a 24-hour watch to deal with debris or forms of pollutants. Regular water sampling will be ongoing at the site, with representatives of ITOPF and Oil Spill Response ready to respond immediately, if required."
US firm Resolve Maritime, which has been acting as caretaker of the wreck, has also begun the task of recovering the containers and debris that were lost overboard during the vessel's fire and subsequent sinking.
"The debris has been identified through side-scan sonar operations, undertaken during July and August, and its recovery and safe disposal is expected to be completed in due course," it said.
No timeframe for removing the wreck and debris was given.
Plastics nightmare
Sri Lanka recently told the International Maritime Organization (IMO) that the plastic pollution resulting from X-Press Pearl casualty has caused a legacy of pollution that will last for generations.
Approximately 11,000 tonnes of plastic pellets, known as nurdles, washed up on Sri Lankan beaches as the ship burned, resulting in "overwhelming economic, social and environmental impact".
What is believed to be shipping's largest-ever single plastics pollution incident has reportedly killed hundreds of dolphins, whales and turtles. About 750 km (466 miles) of Sri Lanka's coastline has been "heavily polluted" with plastic pellet waste.
So far only 3,500 tonnes of the nurdles have been recovered from the beaches and Sri Lanka said the clean-up operation will "continue for years".
Authorities there are currently holding eight X-Press Pearl crewmembers to assist with investigations.
With the exception of the master, none of the other detained seafarers has been charged with any wrongdoing. They have been stuck in the country for almost eight months.
X-Press Feeders told TradeWinds in October that it had been unable to get any official answer as to what still needed to be investigated.
"We continue to work with the Sri Lankan authorities towards the repatriation of the eight remaining crew members who are currently housed at a hotel in Colombo. We are eager to get them home to be reunited with their families," the company said on Wednesday.
