India seeks tighter container safety, cargo disclosure norms in IMO meet

After multiple incidents of vessel sinking and fires off Indian coasts, India has asked the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) to tighten container safety and cargo disclosure norms on a “war footing”.

 

The development comes at the heels of IMO’s ongoing session of the Maritime Safety Committee, where India brought up the recent sinking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MSC ELSA 3 and a fire aboard the MV Wan Hai 503, which, according to officials aware of the matter, has still not been completely extinguished. 

 

“These incidents highlight urgent safety concerns regarding cargo carriage on container ships. India urges a global review of packaging, stowage, and monitoring protocols of containerised cargoes, especially lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and plastic nurdles. The four incidents in quick succession within three weeks demand immediate action from stakeholders to protect seafarers’ lives and the livelihoods of Indian fishermen and coastal communities,” the Indian delegation said at the maritime watchdog’s safety meeting. India’s stand at the meeting is that reliance solely on shipper declarations is not adequate — a call made repeatedly in the past by sector watchers around the globe. Shipowners/managers, especially container shipping lines, must adopt technology and take responsibility to prevent such incidents in a transparent manner.

 

“What is in a box can’t be a mystery anymore. India calls on the IMO to develop stronger regulatory mechanisms for the safety of container ships, cargo management, and crew protection on a war footing,” the Indian delegation said. 

 

According to reports, MV Wan Hai 503 was carrying flammable solids (IMO Class 4.1) in 20 containers — including extremely flammable nitrocellulose with alcohol in two containers, naphthalene (crude or refined) in 12 containers, and flammable liquids in multiple containers. The vessel is also carrying over 4,900 kilograms of a spontaneously combustible (IMO Class 4.2) organometallic substance, which can combust when in contact with air and reacts with water. On May 25, MSC ELSA 3 sank 30 nautical miles southwest of Kochi. It carried 13 containers with International Maritime Dangerous Goods cargoes. 

 

Local reports, however, show a continued flow of plastic nurdles on the coast of Kerala, which are being cleaned up by local authorities. The Singapore-flagged Wan Hai 503 suffered an underdeck explosion and fire. 

 

The vessel carried 147 dangerous containers. Firefighting and towing operations, coordinated by the Directorate General of Shipping, are ongoing to prevent ecological harm.

 

Both these incidents have caused major environmental damage to coastal fishing communities in Kerala — 65 containers have fallen overboard, many yet to be traced.

 

Two more incidents involving vessels with flammable substances have also taken place in recent weeks off the coasts of Mumbai and Kerala.

 

Safety investigations are ongoing, and India will share the findings of these probes at the next meeting of the Maritime Safety Committee. 

 

While the next committee meeting is scheduled for May 2026, a meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee is scheduled for October.

 

“Though these incidents involved foreign vessels and crew from other nationalities, we activated rapid search and rescue and emergency response,” India said.