By Faadhila Thassim – ceylontoday.lk
The second compensation claim, for the damage caused by the MV X-Press Pearl vessel, will be sent to the Protection and Indemnity Insurance Club (PIIC) of the vessel over the next week, Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA), Attorney-atLaw Dharshani Lahandapura said.
She added that a meeting in connection with the second compensation claim due to the ship’s fire will be held with the Attorney General this week. The second compensation will be purely economic for expenses incurred from 3 June to 31 July, she said adding that the environmental damage caused by the maritime disaster, currently being thoroughly assessed, will be sought in the near future.
Lahandapura previously said that the complete payment of the interim compensation sought for the 20 May to 3 June period has not been paid by the Ship’s operator on the basis that further evidence is required adding that the requested documents will also be sent.
An interim compensation of USD 40 million was previously sought from MV X-Press Pearl’s operator for the costs and losses including that of expenses incurred in controlling the fire that broke out on the ship, the loss of daily income faced by fishermen including damage caused to fishing gear, cost incurred to clear the shore and for investigations between 20 May and 3 June.
