Just weeks before World Oceans Day, India witnessed one of its most alarming maritime accidents. A container vessel, MSC ELSA 3, which had departed from Vizhinjam Port, capsized near Kochi, about 14.6 nautical miles off the coast. The ship, en route to Kochi, was carrying 640 containers, including 13 classified as hazardous and 12 containing calcium carbide. It also held 84.44 metric tonnes of diesel and 367.1 metric tonnes of furnace oil, sparking fears of an environmental disaster.

Soon after the incident, oil and chemical leaks were reported, threatening marine ecosystems along Kerala’s coast. Alarming discoveries of plastic pellets along Thumba beach in Thiruvananthapuram have further intensified environmental concerns.

These waters sustain millions of livelihood, anchoring a centuries-old culture of community fishing

However, this is not an isolated event. The tragedy underscores the mounting pressures on our oceans, pressures that go far beyond a single shipwreck.

From climate change and plastic pollution to overfishing and unchecked industrial activity, the world’s oceans are under siege. The Indian Ocean, together with the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, is home to some of the planet’s richest marine biodiversity, from dense mangroves and nesting sea turtles to whales, coral reefs, and countless fish species. These waters sustain millions of livelihoods, anchoring a centuries-old culture of community fishing.

A Renewed Commitment to Ocean and Climate Justice
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A Renewed Commitment to Ocean and Climate Justice

Yet, while we often celebrate the ocean’s beauty, we rarely acknowledge its crucial role in combating the climate crisis. Covering nearly 70% of Earth’s surface, the ocean acts as a vast climate regulator—absorbing heat, storing carbon, and producing oxygen. It holds 50 times more carbon dioxide than the atmosphere, and phytoplankton, kelp, and algae generate over half the world’s oxygen. Since the 1970s, the ocean has absorbed more than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases and 30% of total CO₂ emissions.

Despite these staggering contributions, the ocean’s health is deteriorating. Two-thirds of fish stocks in the high seas are now overfished, endangering food security and the survival of coastal communities.

As the world prepares to mark World Oceans Day, the MSC ELSA 3 disaster serves as a wake-up call. We need stronger ocean governance, better maritime safety protocols, and a renewed commitment to ocean and climate justice, not just to protect marine life, but to safeguard the very systems that make life on Earth possible.

Avinash Chanchal is the Deputy Program Director (Campaigns), Greenpeace South Asia