The Kerala state government has initiated a $1.1 billion admiralty lawsuit against Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) following the sinking of the 28-year-old containership MSC Elsa-3 off the coast of Alappuzha on May 25, 2025.
The Liberian-flagged vessel, built in 1997, was en route from Vizhinjam to Kochi when it capsized approximately 13 nautical miles offshore amid severe monsoon conditions. Onboard were 640 containers, including hazardous materials such as calcium carbide, plastic pellets, and several hundred tonnes of fuel oil. The incident triggered a significant pollution event in the Arabian Sea, disrupting marine ecosystems, harming coastal fisheries, and posing risks to public health.
In a decisive legal response, the Kerala High Court has ordered the arrest of another MSC vessel, the MSC Akiteta II, currently docked at Vizhinjam Port, until MSC posts financial security to cover the state’s compensation claims. The court’s action underscores efforts to ensure the shipping giant is held accountable for the alleged damages.
Emergency measures are underway across Kerala’s coastal belt, with authorities urging fishermen to stay ashore and distributing relief aid to over 105,000 fishing families affected by the contamination. The state government maintains that MSC must accept responsibility for the ecological and economic losses stemming from the MSC Elsa-3 disaster.
This case marks one of the largest maritime compensation claims in India’s history and is likely to set a precedent for corporate environmental liability in the shipping sector.