|Sale of Pratibha Bheema, option to Sate Govt to recover port dues| PANAJI: Following the Directorate General of Shipping’s (DGS) communiqué to the Pratibha Shipping Company wherein it has been instructed that the Captain of Ports can take appropriate action under the relevant section of the Indian Port Act or Major Port Trust Act with regard to Pratibha Bheema vessel, the Goa government can now go ahead with the course of action it deems fit, which could even include the sale of the vessel in order to recover the port dues. The Directorate General of Shipping had given Pratibha Shipping Company time till May 30, 2013, to get the ship, which had been stranded 12 nautical miles off the Goa coast, removed from its position to a place of safety. The 70,000-plus dwt Suezmax crude oil carrier vessel was rescued to the safety of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) harbour after timely action was taken by the state government. The vessel has been docked alongside berth number 9 of the MPT. As per the Directorate General of Shipping’s communiqué, which has been addressed to the Merchantile Marine Department, Goa, states that Pratibha Bheema, as unseaworthy and a sub-standard ship, owned by the Pratibha Shipping Company, and was a threat to the Indian coastal waters including coastline and ports. The DGS communiqué also states that the shipping company’s response is evasive and lacks concrete action. “And recognizing the fact that the financial position of the company is grim, it is advised that the receiver of the vessel obtain modified court order incorporating provisions till such time the court sale proceedings are completed and jurisdiction is passed onto the prospective buyer.” The oil tanker is manned by a skeleton crew whose statutory and mandatory certificates have expired. “In the light of these facts, I am directed to put you on notice under Section 356 (J) and to be read with 356 (K) of the M S Act, 1958, for taking all possible steps to prevent or minimize pollution from the sub-standard ship by removing the vessel to a place of safety without any further delay but not later than May 30, 2013,” the DGS communication states. It was through the DGS directives that the Goa government made a judicial arrest of Pratibha Bheema and towed it to safety at the MPT harbour. Interestingly the vessel is estimated to be worth Rs 400 crore to Rs 500 crore, according to industry experts.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 07:37:53 +0000
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