X-Press Pearl Maritime Disaster: Sri Lanka - Report of the UN Environmental Advisory Mission

The X-Press Pearl incident is the worst maritime disaster to have struck Sri Lanka. It has had a significant impact on Sri Lanka’s sensitive coastal environment, local communities and the economy. Moreover, the event continues to unfold, and its active pollution generation phase will only come to closure with the elimination of the risks from the wreck and containers lost at sea. Along with uncertainties of cascading environmental damage, the incident’s complexity stems from the range of pollutants involved - oil, hazardous chemicals and plastics – and the lack of clarity regarding the nature and status of a substantial part of the vessel’s cargo. Moreover, the growing geographic extent of the plastic spill - the largest on record - is expected to have transboundary impacts further compounding the problem.