Compensation notice to vessel
The owners of cargo vessel MSC Chitra have been served a notice demanding compensation for the oil-spill and consequent ecological damage due to August 7 collision with another merchant ship, even as the directorate-general of shipping is yet to conclude its probe into the mishap.
The joint notice by the Maharashtra government, Mumbai Port Trust and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust was delivered to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the owners of Chitra, on Tuesday.
The company has been asked to pay compensation as they have been identified as polluters, state transport minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil told reporters on Wednesday after reviewing the ongoing salvage operations.
“We have sent a notice to the owners of MSC Chitra, whose collision with another cargo ship resulted in an oil slick off the Mumbai coast. They have been asked to pay full compensation for the mishap,” Mr Patil said.
He, however, parried questions on the quantum of compensation sought from the owners.
MSC Chitra had collided with MV Khalijia III off the Mumbai coast on August 7 morning following which the former tilted precariously and began leaking oil into the sea. An estimated 500 tonnes of oil spilled into the sea and about 250 containers, some carrying hazardous chemicals and pesticides, got hurled overboard.
Mr Patil said since oil was spilled by Chitra from whose deck the containers tumbled and caused obstruction in the movement of ships forcing the two ports to temporarily shut down, the notice had been sent to its owners.
The directorate-general of shipping refused to offer any comment on the move by the state government and port authorities, saying investigation into the happenings was still on.
“The investigation by the DGS is still on and a proper report is expected in a month’s time,” director-general of shipping, Mr S.B. Agnihotri said. —PTI
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