Cargo Ship Sinking in Indian Waters Raises Marine Pollution Risks

On May 24, 2025, the Liberian-flagged container ship “MSC ELSA 3” sank off Kerala in southern India. The vessel was carrying 640 containers, 13 of which contained hazardous materials, including 12 containers of calcium carbide and one container of undisclosed composition, and 370 tons of fuel oil. The Indian Coast Guard immediately activated the “highest level of pollution emergency response”, deployed a 50 nautical mile anti-oil pollution fence, and placed 120 tons of activated carbon to adsorb calcium hydroxide, a hydrolysis product of calcium carbide. Acetylene gas released from calcium carbide in contact with water could cause an underwater explosion, and its hydrolysis products could cause a drastic change in the pH of seawater, threatening coral reefs and fishery resources.