The ships that collided off Mumbai port totally paralyzed shipping activity at Mumbai port and Jawaharlal Nehru port. Now begins the blame game. What will be the fate of the two captains?
As the massive damage wrought by the disastrous collision between two vessels off Mumbai and Jawaharlal Nehru Ports is slowly beginning to sink in, a strong under current of blame game has begun to brew up threatening to turn into a tidal force in intensity. Plenty of accusations and far fewer counter accusations have been traded in the past five days post the accident involving MSC Chitra, and Khalija-3.
It all stirs up appalling memories of the skippers and other officers of vessels involved in similar accidents including the ‘Prestige’, ‘Exxon Valdez’ etc, including the more recent lengthy detention including a period of imprisonment of Captain Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan in South Korea after their vessel Hebei Spirit was hit by a crane barge off the west coast of Korea in early 2007.
No doubt the captains and some of the officers of the two vessels in the Saturday, 7th August, 2010 collision will experience horrendous phases in the coming months. Like hounded criminals they will have to face hours of grilling by the police, investigating agencies, the navy, the coast guards et al. Though no intentional error has been committed in this incident, the intensity of the damage caused by the collision will take centre stage and the failure of the regulatory system such as the radar monitoring or the Vessel Traffic Management, and other security measures will get sidelined.
Unfortunately, the accident had to take place in the main approach navigation channel common to both Mumbai port and JN port causing the closure first of Mumbai port to shipping and subsequently JNPT. MSC Chitra listed and got grounded causing in the process over 350 containers to go over board within three days. Around 31 ships are waiting outside the ports to get berth and 27 ships are stranded unable to leave the ports. The oil slick caused by the leaking fuel tanks of the two damaged vessels spread down the Western coast of India up to Alibag some 50 miles away from Mumbai.
It is estimate that if the channels are cleared by 15th August, 2010 (the Independence day of India) the cost of the delays and the expected pile up once the sea lane is opened could cost India as much as $65 million in trade. The damage to the environment, the mangroves, fish and other marine life as well as the loss of livelihood to fisher folks is still being computed. Under the directives of Ashok Chavan, the Chief Minister of the Maharashtra (state government) the list of costs suffered is being drawn up and the Chief Minister has categorically stated that the losses suffered will be imposed on the concerned companies.
The government has appointed SMIT Salvage to look after the oil-spill and salvage operations. The Nautical Advisor to the government of India Capt. M M Saggi said the anti-pollution operation by the Coast Guard is on using anti-pollution disposal spray systems. All coastal districts of Maharashtra are on high alert as the oil slick spreads.
Yes the allegation made against the press by the seafaring community in India is that when ever there are accidents causing oil spill the damage done to the environment gets highlighted with dead fishes along with sea bird lying on the coast all covered with oil. It is strange that accidents caused by other transport modes like plane or train crashes, etc the pilot or driver is not subjected to such harsh and violent treatment. But when it comes to seafarers who are responsible for transport over 95% of the world’s global trade nothing gets published in their favor.
The latest is that the captains of both the vessels MSC Chitra and Khalijia III have been booked by the police for rash navigation of vessels, mischief causing damage to the environment. Capt Mandeleno Ranjit Martin of MSC Chitra filed for anticipatory bail. The other captain may do so soon. Has the criminalization of these seafarers begun?