Greenpeace Marks World Ocean Day with Sand Art in Odisha, Stands in Solidarity with Kerala Shipwreck Victims

Bhubaneswar, June 8 : On the occasion of World Ocean Day 2025, Greenpeace India held a symbolic celebration at Chandrabhaga Beach near Konark in Odisha, drawing attention to the urgent need for ocean protection and solidarity with communities impacted by maritime disasters — especially the recent MSC ELSA-3 shipwreck off the Kerala coast.

At the heart of the event was a striking sand art installation of a turtle, underscoring the vital role oceans play in sustaining biodiversity, regulating global climate, and supporting coastal livelihoods.

The event also served as a platform for Greenpeace to express empathy and support for the people of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, who continue to face environmental and economic consequences from the May 25 shipwreck, which spilled hazardous cargo and fuel into the sea. Containers of unknown contents and plastic pellets have been washing ashore, compounding fears of long-term marine damage and public health risks.

“The sinking of MSC ELSA-3 is not an isolated incident,” said Greenpeace India in a statement. “From Odisha to Kerala, our oceans are under siege from pollution, industrial activities, climate change, and overfishing. There is an urgent need for community-led ocean governance to address these interlinked crises.”

Greenpeace also called on local authorities and the MSC shipping company to immediately release the full cargo manifest of the sunken vessel and provide a transparent update on the cause of the accident, the status of clean-up operations, and compensation plans for affected coastal communities.

Amruta S. Nair, Campaigner at Greenpeace India, criticized the company’s continued silence. “Two weeks have passed, and the public is still in the dark. People in South India deserve answers and action.”

To strengthen regional solidarity, Greenpeace deployed documentation teams in Kerala shortly after the incident and has since conducted several awareness and advocacy campaigns across coastal hubs including Chennai, Odisha, Galle, Colombo, and Khulna (Bangladesh) under the banner “One Ocean, Many Lives.”

Anita Perera, Campaigner at Greenpeace South Asia, added: “We urge our leaders to swiftly ratify the Global High Seas Treaty and protect at least 30% of our oceans. The voice of small-scale fishers and coastal communities must be at the center of decision-making to ensure equitable, sustainable ocean governance.”

The Greenpeace action comes on the eve of the United Nations Ocean Conference (June 9–13 in France), where world leaders are expected to debate and reaffirm their commitments to global marine conservation and climate resilience.

As the Indian Ocean region grapples with another maritime tragedy — just four years after the X-Press Pearl disaster in Sri Lanka — Greenpeace’s message is clear: the time for accountability, transparency, and transformative action to save our oceans is now.

Photo Credit : @LifeOfRealArt