COLOMBO: A petition filed seeking compensation for the affected parties of the X-Press Pearl disaster, which took place in May 2021, is due to be heard on 26 July.
The relevant order was issued by the Commercial High Court in Colombo on Friday (23 June), when the petition filed by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and other parties was taken up.
Accordingly, the decision as to whether or not the respondents of the petition will be issued notice by the court is due to be considered on 26 July, after the Commercial High Court today approved for the petition to be amended.
The petition seeks an order to secure a compensation of at least USD 07 billion from the relevant shipping companies for the grave damage caused both to the environment and various other sectors after the X-Press Pearl was gutted in a fire in May 2021.
The petition was filed by four parties including the ‘Wana Arana Foundation’, with eight companies, including Sea Consortium Lanka, the local representative of the Singaporean-flagged vessel, being named as respondents.
