New VDR Transcript Sheds Light on Xpress Pearl Disaster

File image courtesy Sri Lankan Ports Authority

Published Jul 1, 2025 10:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

The BBC World Service has obtained a previously unreported VDR transcript of what may be a series of conversations between the master of the burned-out container feeder XPress Pearl and shoreside managers. The document was filed by Sri Lanka's government in a case before Colombo's Supreme Court; the shipowner disputes the document's accuracy and completeness, and is contesting it in court proceedings. 

The BBC's report appears to confirm initial accounts of a slow-rolling catastrophe that began long before XPress Pearl reached Sri Lanka in May 2021. It provides new details of the crew's attempts to respond to a leaking container of nitric acid, and the Russian master's growing frustration with the lack of a solution. 

"About one liter an hour [leak rate from the container]. Remain the same. We're washing deck continuously by fire pump, seawater, because main deck too much corrosion . . . very strong chemical, very strong chemical," Russian master Vitaly Tyutkalo said. "If you will read my email, I sent to everybody, right, already three days fire pump running. But leakage remain on deck and maybe more and more corrosion."

After the call with the home office, he complained to a crewmember on the bridge that "they don't take any action, don't give me any advice," and claimed that company officials wouldn't take responsibility, the VDR transcript suggests.

Port officials at Hamad, Qatar and Hazira, India refused to provide a port-of-refuge service to unload the leaking boxes from Xpress Pearl, so the container ship sailed onwards to Colombo, Sri Lanka, a voyage of some 1,000 nautical miles southeast from Hazira. After arrival off Colombo, a container on deck caught fire, but local authorities refused to allow XPress Pearl to berth for firefighting operations. It burned and sank, releasing acids, caustic soda, 9,700 tonnes of epoxy resin and 1,680 tonnes of plastic pellets into the water (minus any amounts consumed by the fire). It is believed to be the largest plastic spill in history.

The master faces criminal charges in connection with the disaster and remained in Sri Lanka at least as recently as last year, free to live on the island but unable to leave until court proceedings have finished. 

 

Wan Hai 503 is Structurally Compromised and Moved Out of Indian EEZ

Wan Hai 503 is structurally compromise and has settled at the stern with flooding in its engine room (DSG)

Published Jun 30, 2025 4:42 PM by The Maritime Executive

Weather concerns and the inability to stop the smoldering fire prompted the Indian authorities working with the private salvage team to move the Wan Hai 503 containership further away from the coastline. The vessel had been taken to a distance about 130 nautical miles west of the coast and over the weekend was due, weather permitting, to leave the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

“The vessel remains in a structurally compromised but stable condition, with primary risks stemming from the persistent smoldering fire in Cargo Hold No. 4, the residual flooding within the engine room, and unpredictable weather patterns,” reports the Directorate General of Shipping. “High winds and swells have severely limited boarding operations, complicating firefighting and dewatering efforts.” 

Three weeks after the fire was reported and the ship was abandoned on June 9, the fire is still burning in the area of Cargo Hold No. 4, with reports saying the deck area and cargo holds have collapsed permitting an airflow that continues to fuel the fire. Further complicating the situation in the area are collapsed containers. They are continuing boundary cooling and additional firefighting materials were due to reach the vessel today, June 30. Monitoring is showing persistent elevated temperatures within Hold No. 4.

The salvage team had been able to board the vessel and using portable equipment, pumped out approximately 500 to 800 cubic meters of water from the flooded engine room. The concern is that the stern continues to sit low in the water and the vessel is listing toward port, but they believe it still has about 76 percent structural stability of allowable sea forces.

 

 

The hope is to conduct further dewatering, but an attempt to board the vessel on Saturday, June 28, was unsuccessful due to unsafe conditions. The DGS reports moderate to rough sea conditions, winds ranging from 25 to 28 knots, and gusts to 42 knots in squalls.

India refused a port of refuge for the hulk and there was talk it would be towed to Colombo, Sri Lanka, but it is still pending formal clearance. Concerned about the environmental dangers, the Indian Authorities ordered the hulk towed further away from the coast, and as of Saturday, they had approximately 54 nautical miles remaining to exit the Indian EEZ. 

The vessel Offshore Warrior has two soft towlines attached and was making 2.9 knots. Pending improved weather conditions, they were also planning to add wire towlines. Also, with the additional firefighting material and improved weather, the goal was to enhance the fire suppression efforts and resume dewatering the hull.

Once the vessel clears the Indian EEZ, the efforts will depend mostly on the private salvage company hired by the owners. Indian’s Directorate General of Shipping says it will be reducing its role while providing routine updates to Singapore’s MPA as the flag state of the vessel.