Pollution from the container ship X-Press Pearl is being described as potentially the worst marine ecological disaster in Sri Lankan history. The ship carried 25 tonnes of nitric acid, along with other chemicals and cosmetics, when it caught fire on May 20. Many of the ship’s 1,486 containers tumbled into the sea before the huge blaze was brought under control earlier this week. The vessel sank on June 2, as it was being towed to deeper waters.

BBC reports that millions of plastic pellets from a damaged container, which are the raw material for shopping bags, have already coated stretches of Sri Lanka’s western coastline. Worst-hit areas include some of the country’s most pristine beaches close to the city of Negombo. Experts say the pellets still in the sea could travel as far as India, Indonesia and Somalia.

There are now concerns that the bunker fuel aboard the ship will further damage the shoreline. The X-Press Pearl contains 278 tonnes of bunker fuel oil and 50 tonnes of gas oil. There are also about 20 containers full of lubricating oil.

“There is no oil leak from the ship yet, but arrangements are in place to deal with a possible spill which is the worst-case scenario,” navy spokesman Indika de Silva told AFP news agency.

The X-Press Pearl was a new ship. A container feeder ship capable of carrying 2,700 TEU, she had been in service for less than 100 days when she caught fire off the coast of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan officials believe the fire was caused by a nitric acid leak which the crew had been aware of since May 11. 

Disaster feared as fire-hit cargo ship sinks off Sri Lanka coast

Thanks to Alaric Bond and David Rye for contributing to this post.