After successful ballasting operation, Vietnamese ship MV Hai Duong 09, which triggered panic in port circles after it tilted in East Quay-5 berth on Friday, has been sent to the anchorage.
After completion of inspections by various agencies, including Mercantile Marine Department, the port authorities are awaiting reports. “We will raise a claim of compensation from the ship management for blocking space in our berth after getting the survey reports,” Visakhapatnam Port Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu told The Hindu on Sunday.
He said a decision would be taken to allow it to load billets from the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINl) only after submission of relevant certification on its worthiness. Water had to be loaded into the central tank of the ship from fire tenders during the restoration work to bring back the vessel to the designated place.
The port authorities were unhappy with the non-cooperation attitude by the ship crew during the restoration operation.
They also blame the ship management for negligence causing the tilting due to de-ballistic after loading 1,200 tonne of steel billets from the RINL.
When contacted, Captain Shailendra Rathore, General Manager of JM Baxi & Co, the agents for the Vietnamese ship, said the vessel was in fine health. He said it was in a position to load 10,000 tonne of billets from the RINL as per contract. Srivalli Shipping is the stevedoring agent for the ship.
Captain Rathore said in the inspections conducted by the Mercantile Marine Department, Dock Safety Board and others, the ship had proved its compliance to the safety parameters.
