Monday, August08, 2011
Ships over 25 years old will be banned from entering India’s key oil, container and dry cargo ports situated in the country’s west coast state of Gujarat in the wake of a coal carrier sinking near the port of Mumbai, according to a circular sent by a Mundra port official.
“In light of MV RAK Carrier sinking off the coast of Mumbai and the resulting pollution, which is now threatening the Mumbai Coastline, the state maritime regulator GMB has decided to ban entry of ships over 25 years of age,” an official from Mundra’s port operation center said in the circular.
“The formal notification to this effect will be issued shortly by GMB.” The Gujarat Maritime Board or GMB, which is the maritime authority of the state, oversees the safety and regulatory aspects at ports such Kandla, Mundra, Sikka, Dahej, Vadinar and Hazira.
According to a shipping agency source, the ban on vessels over the age of 25 years is also applicable to tankers.
“I hope they don’t relax the restrictions once the monsoon is over. They had made such moves earlier, too, but again the authorities became a little lenient in allowing older vessels into the Indian ports,” the source said about moves made earlier when accidents happened.
The MV Rak Carrier, a 27-year-old Panama-flagged dry bulk carrier sank off the Mumbai coast late last week while it was on its way from Indonesia’s Tutung port with 60,000 tonnes of coal to Dahej.
The vessel had about 290 mt of fuel oil and 50 mt of marine gasoil on board, local media reports said Monday.
“GMB has however advised MPSEZ those ships of 25 years of age which have already been chartered and are proceeding to GMB administered ports will be permitted to enter GMB owned port after they have taken clearance from GMB on case to case basis as an interim measure,” the Mundra’s port operation center official said.
“It is however to be noted that no new chartering of vessel over 25 years old is to be henceforth carried out if the vessels are planning to work cargo at any GMB owned port. Such vessels will be banned from entering GMB administered port.” Ports in Gujarat are key for crude discharge as well as for product loading since many refineries are located there while several in India’s hinterland receive their crude through pipelines from the area.
(sourced Platts)
Ships over 25 years old will be banned from entering India’s key oil, container and dry cargo ports situated in the country’s west coast state of Gujarat in the wake of a coal carrier sinking near the port of Mumbai, according to a circular sent by a Mundra port official.
“In light of MV RAK Carrier sinking off the coast of Mumbai and the resulting pollution, which is now threatening the Mumbai Coastline, the state maritime regulator GMB has decided to ban entry of ships over 25 years of age,” an official from Mundra’s port operation center said in the circular.
“The formal notification to this effect will be issued shortly by GMB.” The Gujarat Maritime Board or GMB, which is the maritime authority of the state, oversees the safety and regulatory aspects at ports such Kandla, Mundra, Sikka, Dahej, Vadinar and Hazira.
According to a shipping agency source, the ban on vessels over the age of 25 years is also applicable to tankers.
“I hope they don’t relax the restrictions once the monsoon is over. They had made such moves earlier, too, but again the authorities became a little lenient in allowing older vessels into the Indian ports,” the source said about moves made earlier when accidents happened.
The MV Rak Carrier, a 27-year-old Panama-flagged dry bulk carrier sank off the Mumbai coast late last week while it was on its way from Indonesia’s Tutung port with 60,000 tonnes of coal to Dahej.
The vessel had about 290 mt of fuel oil and 50 mt of marine gasoil on board, local media reports said Monday.
“GMB has however advised MPSEZ those ships of 25 years of age which have already been chartered and are proceeding to GMB administered ports will be permitted to enter GMB owned port after they have taken clearance from GMB on case to case basis as an interim measure,” the Mundra’s port operation center official said.
“It is however to be noted that no new chartering of vessel over 25 years old is to be henceforth carried out if the vessels are planning to work cargo at any GMB owned port. Such vessels will be banned from entering GMB administered port.” Ports in Gujarat are key for crude discharge as well as for product loading since many refineries are located there while several in India’s hinterland receive their crude through pipelines from the area.
(sourced Platts)
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