MEPA assigns team to assess the impact of ‘X-PRESS PEARL’

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) has assigned a team to look into whether the fire onboard the container ship ‘X-PRESS PEARL’, had caused any impact on the surrounding marine environment. Discussions are underway with the Insurance Agent and the local agent of the ship ‘X-PRESS PEARL’, which is registered under the flag of Singapore, Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara, the General Manager at MEPA told News 1st on Saturday afternoon (May 22). According to Sri Lanka Navy, the container ship ‘X-PRESS PEARL’ is in anchorage about 9.5 nautical miles northwest of the Colombo Port. The vessel which had carried 1486 containers with 25 tonnes of Nitric Acid, several other chemicals, and cosmetics; had departed from the port of Hazira in India on 15th May 2021.