India's biggest container port shut after collision
No news on when the port will re-open following accident involving MSC vessel
A criminal investigation has begun after a container ship collided with a cargo vessel near Mumbai, India, resulting in the closure of the country’s biggest container port.
According to officials, the Panamanian-flagged container ship MSC Chitra and the cargo ship Khalijia III collided 8km off the Mumbai shore on Saturday morning.
Between 200 and 400 containers went overboard because of the collision and oil has leaked from the vessel.
At the time of publishing, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), which has been experiencing congestion problems over the last month or so, was closed, with no news on when it would re-open.
Mumbai port was also closed because of the accident, but was starting to accept smaller ships.
Six Indian coastguard ships are trying to contain the oil leaking from the MSC Chitra, but the vessel is listing at a 75 degree angle, making it difficult to locate the point of leakage.
India’s State Environment Minister Suresh Shetty told the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to register an offence against the staff and owners of both the Khalijia and MSC Chitra.
A case has been registered under the Environmental Protection Act as the vessel’s containers, which contain hazardous chemicals, are currently floating off the Mumbai coast.
The state government’s disaster management committee is meeting today on the issue.
Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) officials told a local newspaper one of the reasons for the accident could be that there were no pilot ships and that both vessels were operating on different radio frequencies.
The Khalijia III was being taken to the JNPT when the incident occurred.
Patches of oil have been cleared around Elephanta Island, a World Heritage Site in Mumbai Harbour, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Sunday evening.
Thirty-five crew members were rescued from the vessels.
Watch video coverage of the collision.
View with caution, may cause nausea
According to officials, the Panamanian-flagged container ship MSC Chitra and the cargo ship Khalijia III collided 8km off the Mumbai shore on Saturday morning.
Between 200 and 400 containers went overboard because of the collision and oil has leaked from the vessel.
At the time of publishing, Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT), which has been experiencing congestion problems over the last month or so, was closed, with no news on when it would re-open.
Mumbai port was also closed because of the accident, but was starting to accept smaller ships.
Six Indian coastguard ships are trying to contain the oil leaking from the MSC Chitra, but the vessel is listing at a 75 degree angle, making it difficult to locate the point of leakage.
India’s State Environment Minister Suresh Shetty told the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board to register an offence against the staff and owners of both the Khalijia and MSC Chitra.
A case has been registered under the Environmental Protection Act as the vessel’s containers, which contain hazardous chemicals, are currently floating off the Mumbai coast.
The state government’s disaster management committee is meeting today on the issue.
Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) officials told a local newspaper one of the reasons for the accident could be that there were no pilot ships and that both vessels were operating on different radio frequencies.
The Khalijia III was being taken to the JNPT when the incident occurred.
Patches of oil have been cleared around Elephanta Island, a World Heritage Site in Mumbai Harbour, the Defence Ministry said in a statement on Sunday evening.
Thirty-five crew members were rescued from the vessels.
Watch video coverage of the collision.
View with caution, may cause nausea
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