Sinking Greek Ship Poses A Threat To Colombo Coastline
The 24,000 ton vessel belonging to the Tafaco Shipping Company of Greece is about to sink with 1,000 litres of chemicals and 275 tons of fuel. and If and when the ship sinks it will pollute the costline from Colombo to Kalutara.
By Indika Sri Aravinda
The coastal area between Colombo and Kalutara faces an imminent danger to its environs with the possibility of an arrested Greek vessel sinking with over 1,000 litres of chemicals and 275 tons of fuel on board.
The ship is expected to sink by Monday and the chemicals and fuel in the ship could not only pollute the sea but also affect the entire coastline,” said S. A. L. Munasinghe, an engineer who had been employed in the ship.
The 24,000 ton vessel belonging to the Tafaco Shipping Company of Greece was arrested in 2007 due to a dispute with the cargo operator.
“The ship could sink in a day or two,” said Munasinghe and added the ship at present is anchored off 7 to 8 kilometers off Moratuwa – Angulana area. It is carrying 24,000 tons of steel.
At present the dues for provisions for the crew, fuel, port charges, etc. amount to over Rs. 220 million.
S. A. L Munasinghe says the engine room is already six feet under water and the ship will sink within the next few days and a major catastrophe will take place.
“If urgent steps are not taken in the next couple of days there is no way to avoid an environmental catastrophe from taking place,” Munasinghe said.
“I got involved when this ship was off Pandura in my electorate of Kalutara District. Now that the ship is off Colombo district you could ask the Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa about this,” said Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne.
The environment minister was not available for comment at the time the paper going to print. Marshal Ajith Seneviratne of the Central Freight Bureau says he cannot intervene but the lawyer appearing on behalf of the shipping company will have to take full responsibility if the ship sinks.
Ship is sinking by the waters of sinking country
There are a lot of Sri Lankans including Govt servants who are more than willing to pitch in the repair costs to make her sea worthy, if the Captain would promise them a free passage to Christmas Island.
A sign the third world SL is going down fast.
cant a gov clean up 1000 litres of chemical n 275 tons of fuel?
Where is the 10% commission, before any work is done?
Even for foreign aid the donor needs to pay the commission of 10% before the aid is given to the deserving.
All only in Lanka!!!
It is about time that the Govt. of Sri Lanka lodge a compalin with the UN Environmental Agencies regarding the pending Environmental catastrophe to Sri Lankan by the 1,000 of Chemicals and 275 tons of oil on baord if this ship belongs to Tafaco Shiping Company of Greece sink within the waters of Sri Lanka. Since Greece is a bankrupt country, the cost of the cleaning this environmental damage should be born by UN Environmental Agency or EU. Additionally, the Sri Lankan Navy should try to pull the ship into to international waters inorder to lessen the possible environmental damages to Sri Lanka or with the help of UN should try at least to pump the Chemicals and oil out of its tanks.
Sri Lanka Government wastes billion of rupees on the Defense Budget !!!
Meanwhile, a huge environmental disaster bomb was ticking away for 3 years in the middle of the capital?!?!
A tiny fraction from the Defense Budget will deal with this long time ago..
What a bunch of idiots!!
Why on earth didn’t Rajapaksa govt make plans to tow this ship away from disaster instead of waiting for it to sink?
This is a deliberate environmental disaster and a serious environmental crime !!
In any other country they will go in for 20 years hard labor.
In Sri Lanka they might even get promoted..
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what the f***ing hell the guys were doing since 2007. didn’t they know the ship is going to sink. Now the blaming game will start….
The ship is a symbol for the country. The regime is keeping up with the only thing it is capeable of. The regime is at war with it’s own citizens, with it’s own economy and with it’s natural ressorces. Nature unfortuntely is not able to give 10 % commission…
And of course that’s also why nobody has the guts to stand accountable for this truely homemade catastrophy, which will stain the beaches of the isle for years to come and take the lives of man creatures at sea – never mind the waste of load and ship. How low will our motherland have to sink till things change?
The government muts may be eyeing for the Rs. 220 million charges at the expense of severe environment , tourism and fisheries industry. Donkeys are born…not made.