The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has ordered the shipping company responsible for the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster to pay USD 1 billion in compensation to the government.
The ruling, delivered by a five-judge bench led by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, found the company's failure to prevent the incident violated fundamental human rights. Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Shiran Gunaratne, Achala Wengappuli, and Priyantha Fernando also presided.
The compensation is intended to address the extensive environmental and economic damage caused by the vessel's fire and sinking off Sri Lanka’s western coast. The verdict follows fundamental rights petitions filed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and affected members of the fisheries community.
The court ordered the payment to be completed within a year, with the first installment due by September 23, 2025
