Shipping ministry revises guidelines for major ports
02 Feb 2011
The shipping ministry has asked Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) to update their MoU to sort out key issues of co-operation between the two ports.
The ministry has laid out instructions like voluntary navigational safety review by the navigational safety in ports committee (NSPC) in all ports, tightening of port entry regulations and installation of Tier 1 pollution control equipment for all major ports to avoid such incidents in the future.
The ministry's move is in tune with the recommendations of a special committee constituted in the aftermath of the collision of MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia3 on 7 August 2010.
Specifically, the ministry has asked JNPT and MbPT to expedite the widening of channel and pilot boarding area and install additional navigational aids such as fairway buoy, transit lights, navigational buoys (with racons) at every turn of the channel.
Further, the ministry has said that VTS equipment should be upgraded with features such as guard range so that audible and visual alarms could alert the VTS operator of any impending collision.
It has also proposed the formation of a VTS authority under the MbPT, which will provide pilot service for the entire length of approach channel.
In another development, union minister of shipping G K Vasan today clarified that the extension of port limits of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) will not hinder the development of non-major ports in the north coast of Odisha.
The expansion, the minister said, is being done to provide trans-loading facilities at the Kolkata Port and there was no intention to let any port suffer on account of such an expansion.
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