- As you are aware, humankind is most adept at exploring newer territories in search of greener pastures to leave behind an indelible imprint for generations to reap the benefits so accrued. We know how the maxim – necessity is the mother of all inventions – has been firmly established since times immemorial, because humans are always on the lookout for exploration. Little wonder that, human race was also considered nomadic at the most basic levels, exploring hitherto unexplored regions for establishing permanent settlements. The most easily available but perilously unsafe route chosen for undertaking voyages was nothing but the great oceans/seas by our ancestors. The rich legacy of yore via ocean/sea routes continues to this day.
PC: Times of India
- Yes, the unbelievably revolutionary inventions on the back of the demands from the present-day modernity-defined world have seen tremendous advancements on the naval front too. Advancements also bring forth new challenges. One of the most common challenges on the sea front is ship sinks, leading to oil spills, posing great challenges to countries to grapple with. The recent ship sink near Cochin port reminds India that preventing oil spills is easier than cleanups. Debris has begun to wash ashore Kerala’s coast, after a Liberian-flagged cargo ship capsized just 27km away last week. Warnings have been issued, rightly, that people shouldn’t get close, or touchy with the beached containers. Besides hazardous cargo, the oil spill is the other danger.
PC: Onmanorama
- The ship’s tanks were carrying over 450 metric tonnes of diesel and furnace oil. India’s coast guard and navy did a good job rescuing the crew, but fighting damage to coastal ecosystems and fishing livelihoods may prove a much greater challenge. The recent central government EnviStats report praised Kerala’s beaches for having the least polluted waters in the country. Unless the oil spill threat proves punier than feared, all possible resources – including international ones – need to be mobilized to preserve this healthy shoreline. Standard global solutions range from skimming oil from the water surface by various means, using chemical dispersants to break up an oil slick into smaller concentrations, blooms to slow its spread, and bioremediation.
PC: OneGreenPlanet
- Disconcertingly, one disheartening thing is that technological progress on this front leaves a lot to be desired. Cleanup actions consume billions of dollars. However, environmental experts point to optics and efficacy being completely different yardsticks. Data indicates that not only is removing oil spills from the sea challenging, but it is also ineffective even in calm waters. So, while keeping our fingers crossed that Kerala doesn’t have a big tragedy on its hands this time, it is lessons in prevention that would be of real help in the future. At 28 years of age, was this feeder vessel unseaworthy? At 640 containers, was it overweight? Analysing such issues thoroughly is key to lifting the country’s trade by sea while protecting it from the dangers ships can pose to us.
