COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Chinese vessel has reached Sri Lankan shores to assist in the salvage operations of the X-Press Pearl vessel that sand in Sri Lankan waters.The X-Press Pearl burnt and sank off the coast of Sri Lanka in May 2021, reportedly after two ports had refused to off-load a container leaking nitric acid – typically used in fertilizers and explosives – because they lacked the expertise and facilities to tend to the leak.
This produced an ecological catastrophe.Sri Lanka's Marine Environment Protection Authority told News 1st that the Chinese salvage team will cut the vessel in half, and move the two parts of the vessel away from Sri Lanka.This operation will commence once favourable weather conditions prevail, and salvage operation will also include the removal of debris from the Sri Lankan ocean floor in an area of one square kilometer around the shipwreck.Incident Overview:On May 20, 2021, the Singapore -flagged Containership, ‘X-Press Pearl’ reported smoke from the cargo hold while at Colombo anchorage, Sri Lanka.On May 21, the vessel reported fire on deck.
Firefighting tugs were deployed by the port authority and a helicopter providing support to help fight the fire. The ship’s crew assisted with boundary cooling of the area.On May 22, the sound of an explosion was heard in cargo hold #2.Tugs continued the firefighting operation with Posh Teal, Posh Hardy, Megha, Hercules, Mahawewa deployed.12 crew members disembarked from the vessel on May 23 to make way for a 12-person firefighting team.