Sri Lanka is seeking an interim claim of $40m from the operator of X-Press Pearl that sank off the country, in order to cover part of the cost of fighting the fire.
According to reports, Sri Lanka has sent the claim to lawyers representing X-Press Feeders, while the authorities were still assessing the total damages.
The interim claim seeks compensation for expenses from May 20, when the ship caught fire, through June 1. X-Press Pearl started sinking on June 2, a day after the fire was extinguished.
What is more, last week experts discovered the data recorder from the vessel, with the Sri Lankan navy believing that the fire was caused by the vessel’s chemical cargo, which included over 22 tonnes of nitric acid and other chemicals.
Furthermore, debris including burned fibreglass and tonnes of plastic pellets have polluted nearby beaches, while there are also concerns that a spill could devastate marine life. Up until now there is still no large oil spill.
Now, the government is testing water samples to determine if the ship was leaking oil. The tests were prompted by satellite images from Planet Labs Inc that showed a substance that could be oil in the water near the ship.
Finally, a Colombo court has banned the ship’s captain, chief engineer and assistant engineer from leaving the country.
