The Director General of Shipping will conduct a preliminary inquiry into MT ‘Pratibha Cauvery’ episode and submit a report within a month. Until then, the tanker would be docked at Chennai Port, Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan told The Hindu on Thursday.
A Chennai Port Trust official said the DG Shipping would look into aspects such as why the crew members deserted the ship and what made it to come back to the Chennai Port on October 8 after having left the shores for Mumbai on September 29. It would also examine the ship’s log and find out the nature of the communications between the vessel and the land.
Keywords: MT Prathiba Cauvery, Cyclone Nilam, Elliots Beach, Coast Guard, G.K. Vasan
RELATED NEWS
The Tanker MT Prathibha Cauvery was built in 1981. That means she is
over 30 years old.
Remember that the tanker belongs to the company owned by SHARAD PAWAR.
Hence the DGS will not be able to ask the right questions. Under such
circumstance, it would be wise for the media to strengthen their hands
to get to the root cause of the accident.
First question to be asked is why such an old tanker is allowed to
operate? What is the maximum age limit to which tanker can operate in
the Indian coast? Does the tanker have a double hull? Have the rules
for tankers under IMO complied with?
Being thirty years old, the ship did not have shaft generators
(Generators which can run on heavy oil). That means that the vessel
would require diesel oil to power the generators.
Second question to be asked is “What is the minimum quantity of diesel
oil which should be on board as per the company policy”?
Did the tanker have the required quantity? If no, what action taken by
Master?
Please Email the Editor