Ship owners agree to make interim payment for damages

The owners of Singapore-registered MV X-Press Pearl which caught fire off Colombo Port have agreed to make an interim payment to Sri Lanka for the damage done to the marine environment of the country, an official said.

Director-general of Merchant Shipping Secretariat Ajith Seneviratne told a news conference yesterday that necessary steps had been initiated with all the stakeholders including the insurance companies to secure compensations for the damage done by the ill-fated vessel with containers laden with chemicals among others.

The Sri Lankan authorities fought relentlessly to douse the blaze.

Mr. Seneviratne said claims would be made through the Attorney General to get total compensation, and, in the meantime, the owners of the ship had agreed to make an interim report in addition to support for beach clearance work.

(Source: Daily Mirror – By Kelum Bandara / AP Photo – Eranga Jayawardena)