30 rusted vessels anchored at Mumbai harbour will pose a threat to lives of fishermen on high tide days this month
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Ghost ship scare for fishermen
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30 rusted vessels anchored at Mumbai harbour will pose a threat to lives of fishermen on high tide days this month
There are more than 30 stranded offshore supply vessels (OSV) that have been anchored at Mumbai harbour since March 2007.
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All of them are rusted and have since posed a threat to the lives of fishermen, especially at night when they are not visible.
While some of them are anchored near Ferry Wharf, a majority of them are bobbing around in rough seas in the main navigation channel that leads to the harbour.
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This puts other ships that enter the harbour and local fishermen at risk if the OSVs cave in during high tide.
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Waste of money
Eight ships, including a few OSVs, have sunk near Mumbai harbour in the past decade, making the channel a graveyard of ships.
The debris of the sunken vessels already poses a threat to local fishing and shipping, as they block the navigation channel, say sources.
"Some of the stranded vessels could sink in bad weather, blocking the main channel leading to the harbour.
It is wastage of scarce public sector resources. The government must ensure that those responsible for the mess should be brought to book.
It calls for accountability of the petroleum ministry and public sector officers," said a shipping expert.
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Each vessel costs around Rs 10 crore and since most of the ships belong to the government, the total loss to the taxpayer is estimated at around Rs 12,000 crore, industry sources pointed out.
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But Deputy Nautical Adviser to the Government (attached to DG Shipping) Captain J S Uppal denied responsibility when MiD DAY pointed out the threat to Mumbai harbour.
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"It is the job of the port trust to clear the unwanted ships," he said.
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