A civil society group has requested court documents related to the USD 1 billion Supreme Court compensation award in the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster case, noting that only USD 1 million has been received so far.
Vinivida Foundation has filed a request for three key documents concerning the USD 1 billion compensation awarded by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court in connection with the X-Press Pearl shipping disaster. The foundation's General Secretary Nagananda Kodituwakku submitted the request to Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena on August 22, invoking constitutional provisions and the Right to Information Act.
The documents sought include an affidavit filed by the Attorney General in September 2025 and two related motions from September 2025 and January 2026. According to Kodituwakku, these documents have not been served to the petitioners. The request raises questions about the status of compensation recovery following the Supreme Court's decision on four consolidated cases concluded in July 2025 under the then-Chief Justice Murdu Fernando.
The X-Press Pearl vessel sank off Colombo Port in June 2021 while carrying 25 tons of nitric acid, other chemicals, and plastic pellets, resulting in significant environmental and economic damage to coastal communities. While the Supreme Court awarded USD 1 billion in compensation against the vessel, its master, and the local agent, only USD 1 million has entered the General Treasury to date. Kodituwakku's statement references an intervention by London P&I, a London-based indemnity insurer, in November 2025, though the insurer reportedly had no involvement in the original court proceedings.
