India's Shipping Authority Moves To Prevent Plastic Pellet Disasters At Sea
India’s shipping authority mandates stricter handling and stowage of plastic pellets at ports, aiming to curb marine pollution and ecological harm, reports Gautam Debroy.
Published : April 20, 2026 at 5:41 PM IST
|Updated : April 21, 2026 at 5:24 PM IST
New Delhi: Flagging the growing environmental risks posed by the maritime transport of plastic pellets, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has asked all port authorities and multi-modal transport operators carrying plastic pellets to implement stricter handling, packaging, and stowage requirements for such cargo in Indian waters.
The move comes against the backdrop of recent incidents where containers carrying plastic pellets were lost overboard, leading to widespread contamination along stretches of the Kerala and Tamil Nadu coastlines. Containers carrying plastic pellets, commonly known as nurdles, were lost at sea, leading to widespread contamination of beaches and coastal ecosystems.
In a recent circular, a copy of which is in the possession of ETV Bharat, the DG Shipping under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways underscored that the safety of ships, cargo, and the protection of the marine environment remain paramount, particularly in light of increasing concerns over plastic pollution from maritime activities.
The directive aligns with global standards set by the International Maritime Organization, which has been pushing for stricter controls on plastic waste at sea.
What Are Plastic Pellets (Nurdles)
Plastic pellets are the raw material used in manufacturing plastic products, but when spilt into the ocean, they pose a significant and long-lasting threat to marine life.
According to the DGS, recent incidents along the coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu saw these tiny pellets washing ashore in large quantities, even spreading to neighbouring waters near Sri Lanka.
“Cleanup efforts in such cases have proven extremely difficult, often requiring extensive manual labour involving local authorities, volunteers and multiple government agencies,” the DG Shipping said.
Plastic pellets, typically 2-5 mm in size, serve as the raw material for the manufacture of almost all plastic products. These microplastics are often spilt during transport, leading to significant marine pollution and hazards for wildlife, which mistake them for food.
India Is A Major Importer Of Plastic Pellets
India is a major importer of plastic pellets and raw materials with a market value of approximately $8 billion. India imports plastic pellets mainly from Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the USA, China and South Korea. Demand is driven by industries such as injection moulding, packaging, and reprocessed plastics.
The shipping regulator noted that once released into the marine environment, these pellets are nearly impossible to fully recover. Over time, they break down into microplastics, entering the marine food chain and posing risks to biodiversity, fisheries and coastal livelihoods.
The DGS circular draws on global maritime safety frameworks, including provisions of the International Maritime Organization. Existing conventions, such as the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea and the MARPOL Convention, already lay down safety and pollution-prevention norms.
However, the growing scale of plastic pellet pollution has prompted additional recommendations at the international level, particularly through the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee.
New Measures To Minimise Risks In Maritime Transport
Highlighting these concerns, the DGS has now introduced a set of mandatory measures to minimise risks during maritime transport.
One of the key directives is that all vessels carrying plastic pellets in freight containers must stow such cargo strictly under deck. The practice of carrying plastic pellets in containers on deck has been explicitly prohibited. This move is aimed at reducing the likelihood of containers being lost overboard during rough sea conditions, a common cause of marine pollution incidents.
In addition, the circular mandates that packaging of plastic pellets must adhere to stringent standards, at least equivalent to those prescribed under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. This includes robust containment measures to prevent leakage during handling, loading and transit.
The DGS has also emphasised that compliance will not be voluntary. The new norms will be enforced through Port State Control and Flag State inspections, placing responsibility on shipping companies, port authorities, logistics operators and other stakeholders to ensure adherence.
Industry players have been advised to sensitise their personnel and operational teams about the updated requirements.
Pellets Make Their Way Into Human Consumption
Scientists have long warned that microplastics can be ingested by marine organisms, eventually ending up in human food through seafood.
“These steps are critical to prevent further ecological damage. India’s long coastline and dependence on marine resources make it particularly vulnerable to such pollution. Once plastic pellets enter the ecosystem, the damage is both immediate and long-term,” said Gautam Sarkar, a health and environmental rights activist, to ETV Bharat.
Hailing the move of DG Shipping, Sarkar, however, cautioned that enforcement will be key.
“While regulations exist on paper, effective monitoring and accountability mechanisms will determine their success on the ground,” he said.
“As the world battles the growing menace of marine plastic waste, the DGS’s intervention underscores a critical message: prevention at source, especially during transportation, remains the most effective way to protect oceans and the communities that depend on them,” said Sarkar.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the oceans contain between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic. Without urgent action, the amount of plastic waste entering aquatic ecosystems could triple by 2040 compared to 2016, reaching 23–37 million tons each year.
The UNEP is the United Nations’ leading global authority on the environment, driving transformational change in response to the triple planetary crisis, including climate change, nature loss, land degradation and pollution and waste.
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