CEA probes reports on ship with hazardous material heading to Sri Lanka

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) has launched an investigation into reports that the Singaporean cargo ship Dali, which collapsed at Baltimore, US bridge on Tuesday March 26, was carrying 764 tons of hazardous materials to Sri Lanka.

State Minister of Environment Janaka Wakkumbura told Parliament that in addition to the CEA inquiry, the Port too has been alerted.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and SLPP MP Dr Charitha Herath raised the issue in Parliament today. They pointed out that the country would not have been aware that the containers were carrying hazardous material if not for the accident.

According to US reports the containers carried – mostly corrosives, flammables, miscellaneous hazardous materials, and Class-9 hazardous materials, including explosives & lithium-ion batteries in 56 containers.

The US National Transportation Safety Board, is still ‘analyzing the ship’s manifest to determine what was onboard’ in its other 4,644 containers.