Nod for Chinese technicians to come ashore, unload cranes at Vizhinjam port

FRRO allows three Chinese technicians to disembark ship at Vizhinjam International Seaport to assist staff unload cranes. Bad weather causes delay, but sea conditions expected to improve.

After much persuasion, three Chinese technicians on board the project cargo vessel Zhen Hua 15 from China have received permission to disembark the ship docked at Vizhinjam International Seaport and assist the staff deployed by the company to unload the cranes brought for the port. The ship has around 30 people, including 12 technicians. However, the Chinese nationals have not received permission to come ashore from the ship moored off the Vizhinjam coast since October 11.

The Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) authorities have given permission for three crew members to disembark the ship here under the supervision of two immigration officers posted on the berth, according to Adani Group officials. However, the office of the Port Minister informed the media on Thursday that the entire crew, including technicians, are now allowed to come ashore. The Chinese company had earlier arranged a team of around 60 staff brought from Mumbai for offloading works.

It will take at least a week to offload the giant ship-to-shore rail-mounted quay cranes from the ship. Apart from the quay crane, the consignment comprises two rail-mounted gantry cranes for the use of yard operations at the port. Though the crew received permission to come ashore on October 19, they couldn’t commence the work due to bad weather. It is difficult for the staff to unload the cranes during rough sea conditions.

Though a low pressure area has formed over the southwest Arabian Sea, the sea conditions are expected to be normal in the coming days as the system is moving west-northwestward direction in the sea. Earlier, the State government and the Adani Group exerted pressure on the Centre to give permission for Chinese technicians to disembark here. The ship was idling in the berth since October 15 with the consignment after the formal reception accorded to the ship by the State government.

Three more ships are scheduled to reach here in November with cranes required for the operations of the port. Among the three ships, one vessel is the same ship which is now berthed here at the port. It is unlikely for the ship to return here with consignments from China on the tentative date fixed on November 28 due to the delay in unloading the cranes.