Indian Navy ship to assist in surveys of Colombo harbour following X-Press Pearl fire

The Indian Navy has deployed the hydrographic survey vessel INS Sarvekshak to Colombo in Sri Lanka to help assess the condition of the seabed in the capital city’s harbour.

The survey operation is being carried out following a formal request by the Sri Lankan government in the wake of the maritime incident involving the Singaporean-flagged containership X-Press Pearl.

Other partner agencies for the surveys include the Sri Lanka Navy and the country’s National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA).

The effort seeks to help ensure safety of navigation in and around Colombo Harbour. This is being carried out in response to reports that the fire and the subsequent container loss on X-Press Pearl littered the surrounding waters with microplastic particles and other debris.