Small ships escorted in convoys, 8-day wait for rest

Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and Jawaharlal naval ships escorted Taban 1 and Golden Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), whose navigational Fareast back from the outershore to JNPT and channels had been blocked since Saturday by Fushimi and BBL Austria to MbPT. floating and sunk containers from MSC Chitra, were partially opened for traffic on The Navy is also carrying out a thorough Thursday, with ship convoys escorted by naval survey of harbour called Operation helicopters, warships and ships with side- Pathfinder using its specialized survey ship. sonar equipment. The survey data will be shared with other maritime agencies and will aid in clearing the MbPT chaiman Rahul Asthana said small and navigational dangers and restoring normal medium ships were allowed to use the channel operations in Mumbai harbour. on Thursday, while JNPTchairman N N Kumar added it will take another eight days Vasan informed that 26 containers were for the channel to be fully operational. That retrieved from the seas so far and said the means bigger ships will have to wait. There number of containers falling off has reduced, are 20 other ships waiting at MbPT and JNPT only one falling off on Wednesday night. He while the rest have been diverted to other added the listing of the ship was now at 50-55 ports. Thursday's exercise, called `Operation degrees. On Sunday and Monday, Chitra had Raasta Saaf' commenced at 8 am and Kumar tilted up to 75 degrees and officials said it said it will continue on Friday. would have been a disaster if the ship had listed to 90 degrees. The minister said prima- At a press conference at the state guest house facie the mishap had ocurred due to Sahyadri on Thursday, Union shipping navigational and communication problems. He ministerG K Vasan said, "The ports have been said an inquiry by director-general of partly opened with convoy-based restricted shipping, S B Agnihotri will be completed in a navigation. We will open the ports in a phased month. manner over the next few days.'' `Nothing to be alarmed' Chief of staff of the western naval command, vice-admiral Pradeep Chauhan told TOI, "The Speaking to newspersons after a meeting with Navy is escorting the ships in and out of the chief minister Ashok Chavan, deputy CM harbour. We have told port officials to select Chhagan Bhujbal, petroleum minister Murli ships which have cargo criticially important Deora, state health minister Suresh Shetty and for the city and the overall economy of the senior naval and shipping officials, Union country, our side-sonar equipped ships, minister for shipping G K Vasan said helicopters and warships will be escorting normalcy would be restored at the ports soon. them.'' The convoy of merchant ships is being When pointed out that on March 23, a foreign escorted by a helicopter providing aerial vessel "Golden Purity'' had similarly dashed coverage of the channel, a minesweeper ship into a Coast Guard ship near Indira Dock, he along with two survey boats equipped with said that incident was also being probed. He side-scan sonars. said MbPT had a disaster management plan in place and it was made operational last Ships escorted out were Zembra and Saturday. He denied that the state government Annapurna Express from JNPT and Yesa was informed late about the collision. "The Pembe, BBL Spain, HAL Pendant, Calmy central and state governments are working in Coral, and Nand Hazira from MbPT. The full coordination,'' he stated.

No fuel shortage as operations resume at port

The country’s busiest harbour, the Mumbai While two helicopters provide aerial port, resumed operations on Thursday, after coverage, a minesweeper ship and two being forced to close down for five days survey boats with side-scan sonar followed because of the oil spill off the city coast. The by a fast-attack craft are ensuring that the escorted 19 ships in and out of merchant ships safely find their way through the channel. Mumbaiites now need not the channel, said Captain Manohar Nambiar, worry about the city running out of spokesperson for the Navy. fuel, which had been a possibility if the ports had not reopened by Sunday. The Navy is also carrying out a survey of the harbour using its survey ship. The data Two cargo ships collided on Saturday, gathered will aid in clearing navigational causing leakage from MSC Chitra’s fuel dangers and restoring normal operations. tank as well as spillage of 350 containers into the sea, dangerous for the movement of Investigations underway suggest the other vessels in the navigation channel. collision took place because of communication errors. Wasan said: “Prima- “The operations were done on a war-footing facie, the accident seems to have happened to ensure that the channel was functioning because of errors in communication and partially at least,” said Union Shipping navigation. An inquiry is being conducted Minister G.K. Wasan, who visited the site by the Directorate General Shipping and will on Thursday. “A six-ship Navy convoy took be ready in a month.” Satish Agnihotri, joint 10 ships out of the channel and brought nine director general of shipping, said the probe ships in.” More than 30 ships have been would take some time. stranded at the two ports. Meanwhile, SMIT Salvage, a Netherlands- “We will not face any shortage. We have based firm, is continuing with operations to sufficient crude oil being pumped out at clear the 350 containers from the channel. A Bombay High. Also, with ports reopening, floating crane and two tugs have been oil and fertiliser ships will be let in on employed to tow and pick up containers priority,” said Murli Deora, union minister drifting in the channel. The firm is also of petroleum. pumping out the remaining fuel from MSC Chitra to avoid the possibility of a further The Navy’s Western Naval Command spill. Shipping officials said clearing MSC conducted the operation. The escort force, Chitra could take a few months. consisting of ships and helicopters, surveyed the route guided the naval ships through the navigation channel steering them clear of floating and submerged containers.

Mumbai port traffic slowly resumes

Even as Union Petroleum Minister Murli that measures taken in the aftermath of the Deora said that there was no shortage of collision of MSC Chitra with another cargo petroleum products in the wake of the ship MV Khalijia had resulted in the navigation channel of Mumbai and restoration of “partial movement of traffic” Jawaharlal Nehru ports being closed after in the port. Saturday’s collision of two ships, traffic was partially resumed at the He added that a survey by the Navy on (MbPT) on Thursday with Navy Wednesday had indicated the feasibility of minesweepers scanning the channel for convoy-based navigation, and on Thursday submerged containers. seven ships were moved out while nine were escorted into the port in a convoy. Vasan Speaking to reporters on Thursday after said the prime concern was now to restore meeting Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and normalcy and especially ensure movement other senior state government officials, of petroleum and fertilisers in the port. Union Minister for Shipping G K Vasan said

Navy escorts ships in, out of harbour in Mumbai The Indian Navy started escorting merchant escorted by a helicopter, which provides an vessels through Mumbai’s navigational aerial coverage of the channel. Apart from channel on Thursday in order to ensure that this, a minesweeper ship along with two ships safely leave the harbour without any survey boats with their side scan sonar are mishaps. ensuring that the navigational channel is clear for the convoy to make headway. A “The Indian Navy’s Western Naval fast-attack craft, INS Matanga, follows this Command has undertaken ‘Operation convoy. Pathfinder’ to safely escort merchant vessels in and out of the Mumbai harbour,” said Four naval ships, two Chetak helicopters Captain Manohar Nambiar, chief public and three specialised survey boats are being relation officer, defence, Mumbai pressed into service for this operation.

The Indian Navy is guiding the merchant On Thursday, seven merchant ships were ships by forming a convoy of these escorted out of the Mumbai harbour and merchant ships. This convoy is being other five were brought into the harbour.

Naval ships escort vessels out of Mumbai port

(From left) Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, and Union Minister of Shipping G.K. Vasan during a press conference on the impact of the oil spill in Mumbai on Thursday. (Right) The slicked shores of are pictured on the outskirts of Mumbai.

Mumbai: Movement of goods began along the naval escort effort “saw the participation of navigational channel in the Mumbai harbour, four ships of the Indian Navy, two Chetak which opened partially on Thursday after a helicopters and three specialised survey boats. five-day shutdown, Union Shipping Minister The channel, which was rendered dangerous G. K. Vasan told a press conference here. for navigation by the presence of numerous floating and sunken containers, was surveyed “We were able to resume partial movement of continuously for three days prior to traffic in the Mumbai port. The survey done undertaking the operation. The escort was by the Navy on Wednesday revealed the successfully completed at 3 p.m. on feasibility of convoy-based navigation,” he [Thursday],” a Defence note stated. said. With the opening of the channel, fears of an The survey was necessitated by Panamanian impending fuel crisis dwindled. “We want to cargo ships — MSC Chitra and m.v. Khalijia- assure the government of Maharashtra that III — colliding off the Mumbai coast, there would be no shortage of petroleum triggering an oil spill, on August 7. products. Sufficient crude is being pumped in from Bombay High,” Petroleum Secretary S. On Thursday, seven vessels — five from the Sundareshan said. Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) and two from the Trust (JNPT) — were On Thursday, Mr. Vasan reviewed the salvage escorted out of the harbour and six — three to operations and met Chief Minister Ashok JNPT and three to MbPT — were escorted in, Chavan, and Union Petroleum Minister Murli the Defence Ministry said. Deora.

Operation Pathfinder “The falling of containers has been reduced; only one container fell today [ Thursday]. Termed “Operation Pathfinder,” the Twenty-six of them were retrieved and secured. The listing of the ship [MSC Chitra] has also been reduced to 50 to 60 degrees. Normality would be restored in the would place its claim before Director-General, next two days. [The priority is to see] how Shipping. Insurance officials are slated to meet early we can start the trade,” Mr. Vasan said. in Mumbai on Friday. “We will recover the expenses incurred in the cleaning operations,” Asked about a letter the State Ports Minister Mr. Shetty said. The estimate of liability for had sent to the Shipping Ministry about environmental damage would be drawn after shifting the MbPT outside Mumbai, Mr. the impact assessment by the National Vasan said there was no communication gap Institute of Oceanography. between the ministries. Rahul Asthana, Chairman, MbPT, said it was agreed that the With regard to the loss of livelihoods of the port would not handle hazardous cargo. fishing community, the State Fisheries Secretary has written to the Central Marine To questions about the reason for the accident Fisheries Research Institute. and status of the investigation, Satish Agnihotri, Director-General of Shipping, said The MbPT would also be filing an that prima facie, “communication and independent claim; however, there was no navigational problems” led to the disaster. estimate as yet, Mr. Asthana said. So is the “The inquiry officers have to take depositions, case with the JNPT. estimate losses, look at data recorder and look at logs on ships.” A preliminary inquiry “We will be filing our claims with MSC revealed that both ports were following Chitra for loss of revenue, expenses incurred adequate safety measures. to restore normality and for asset loss. We are meeting with the insurers tomorrow [Friday]. Mr. Asthana said the salvors of the ships used If at a later stage, m.v. Khalijia-III is found to in salvage operations were “the best in the be responsible for the accident then Chitra world.” He said the port had a disaster may file a suit against Khalijia, but as of now management plan in place which was put into the claims go to Chitra,” N.N. Kumar, effect. Chairman, JNPT, told The Hindu over telephone. As for compensation for environmental damage and claims, State Environment Minister Suresh Shetty said the government

Oil spill: Very few takers for fish “ Please take these, are the best pomfret and fish that she was selling was caught a week prawns that you can get anywhere, these are ago and the consignment has come from very tasty, see the colour, touch it and Goa and Gujarat. examine.....just cook this and you would come again tomorrow,” says Babita, a This Sakal Times correspondent visited fisherwoman from taluka, as she some of the fish markets in Mumbai to have repeatedly urges market-goers to purchase a first hand assessment of the situation and fish. found that in some of the cases, prices had almost fallen by half. Intake of fish in hotels, Fisherfolk across fish markets in Mumbai restaurants, bars and permit rooms across and neighbouring district are facing this commercial capital has come down. hard times to convince customers - to pick up fish. The reason: the Mumbai oil spill. Since fishing is banned along the Prices of fish have fallen drastically in Maharashtra coast till August 15 - the fish wholesale and retail markets in different supplies mainly come from Gujarat, Goa markets alike. and Karnataka.

Reports collected from Sassoon Dock, Officers of the BrihanMumbai Municipal Bhayender, Fort, Thane city and Vasai Corporation have been asked by the reveal that the consumption has come down. Maharashtra government to check samples of fish and find whether they had come in “Anyhow during the month of shravan, the contact with the oil spill. sales come down and now because of the impact of the oil slick, people are not taking Meanwhile, Satish Mahajan, the secretary of fish at all,” Monika, another fisherwoman Mahila Koli Sangharsh Samiti, said that on from says, even as she faces Thursday they are planning to call on chief hard time to convince the customers that the minister Ashok Chavan. He also said that the statements of Chavan harbour,” Daman district collector M K and state environment minister Suresh Shaoo said here on Wednesday. “It is Shetty advising the general public to avoid suspected that the oil spill might have fish intake - has created problems for them. contaminated the fish population in the sea,” A handful of big prawns (standard measure - he said. “Therefore, as precautionary referred to as one wata), which generally measures, the public of Daman are requested may cost between Rs 150 and Rs 200 at the not to consume fish for about 10 days as Holi market of Vasai was available for even they might be contaminated,” Shaoo said. Rs 70 - but there were no takers. In Sion PTI market, where three watas of shrimps are Vasan, Deora to be in Mumbai today available at Rs 50 - now it is Rs 20 - but MUMBAI: Shipping minister G K Vasan again very few takers. Three pieces of the and petroleum and natural gas minister medium-sized pomfret which was sold at Rs Murli Deora are airdashing to Mumbai on 200, is now is available at Rs 100. Thursday to review the situation following the mid-sea collision between MV MSC Daman advises people not to eat sea food Chitra and MV Khalijia III and subsequent Daman: Administration of the coastal Union oil spill. The central ministers would meet Territory of Daman and Diu has advised top officials of the central and Maharashtra people not to consume sea food for the next government and chalk out a strategy to clean 10 days in view of the oil spill caused by the the harbour channel that leads to Mumbai collision of two cargo ships off Mumbai and Nhava-Sheva ports and ensure that coast. “It is brought to the public notice that petroleum supplies are not affected. Deora the collision between ships MSC Chitra and and Vasan would also meet chief minister M V Khalijia III off the coast of Mumbai on Ashok Chavan. Saturday has led to oil spill near the Mumbai

Mumbai harbour reopens for traffic after five days

Mumbai harbour reopened for traffic, five Mumbai port from 1000 hours," Defence days after it was suspended following a Spokesman Capt M Nambiar told media. collision between two cargo ships that led to an oil spill, with the Indian Navy escorting "Seven ships have been escorted out of the 12 freighters in and out of the port. harbour while five are being escorted into the harbour," he said. The traffic resumed after the Coast Guard and other agencies involved in salvage The freighters were given aerial assistance efforts cleared the navigational channel of in navigating the sea by a helicopter while a containers that were adrift after falling off minesweeper ship with two survey boats Panaminan vessel MSC Chitra, which ran equipped with sonar scanners ensured that aground as a result of the Saturday crash. the channel was clear for the convoy, he said. "The Indian Navy commenced escorting a convoy of merchant ships to and out of The ships were trailed by the Indian Naval Ship `Matanga', he said .

Mumbai harbour opens for traffic partially Partial operations have resumed at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan, who Mumbai Port Trust, where movement of along with Petroleum Minister Murli Deora ships was suspended following a collision held meeting with Maharashtra Chief between two cargo vessels. Minister Ashok Chavan, told reporters that necessary efforts were being made by the Nearly six ships comprising four from the central and state governments and their Mumbai Port and two from Jawaharlal respective agencies to restore normalcy in Nehru Port were piloted out of the Mumbai the Mumbai channel and at Mumbai Port channel by the Indian Navy. Similarly, nine and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. ships waiting to reach these two ports were also escorted by it. Prima facie, Vasan said the collision took place due to communication and navigation Traffic in the Mumbai channel had come to gaps. However, more details would be a halt when two merchant vessels MSC known once the director general of shipping Chitra and MV Khailijia III had collided off completes inquiry. the Mumbai coast on Saturday.

Mumbai port operations resume partially

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Spill effect:Oil washed ashore at the “So far 26 containers have been retrieved,” near Mumbai harbour after said Mr Vasan. Following the collision of the oil spill caused by the collision of two container ship MSC Chitra and the bulk cargo vessels. carrier MV Khalija on August 7, around 325 containers fell off from the ship, which Mumbai and JN Port terminals, which were blocked the port's main channel. shut after the collision of two ships off Mumbai's coast last week, partially resumed The Netherlands-based firm SMIT is doing operations on Thursday. the salvage operations for recovering the containers. “After several surveys and assessment done by various agencies, the port will be ‘No petro product shortage' partially functioning for navigation with the help of convoy of naval ships and The Union Minister for Petroleum and helicopters,” Mr G.K. Vasan, Union Natural Gas, Mr Murli Deora, said that the Shipping Minister, told reporters here today. State would not face shortage of petroleum products following the closure of ports. It He said the port will gradually be able to was feared that Bharat Petroleum restore full operations in few days. Corporation and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, which import crude through On Thursday, seven vessels sailed off from Mumbai port, may run short of crude Mumbai port and nine ships were allowed supplies. berths while at JNPT six ships went out and 10 came in to berth. The ports together Mr Suresh Shetty, Maharashtra's Minster for handle about 40 per cent of India's maritime Environment, said that loss to the marine traffic. environment due to the oil spill can be gauged only after a detailed Environment The State Government has appointed Impact Analysis (EIA) is carried out by the National Environmental Engineering Maharashtra Pollution Control Board Research Institute and Goa-based National (MPCB). The money spent by the State Institute of Oceanography to assess the Government in cleaning up the oil spill environment impact of the accident. would be recovered from insurance companies, he said. According to Western India Shippers Association, there are around 33,000-35,000 “For insurances claims, the Directorate export boxes inside the three terminals at the General of Shipping would be the nodal JN Port awaiting the arrival of vessels for agency. From Friday, preliminary talks with loading. insurance companies will commence,” Mr Shetty said. Nearly 20 vessels bringing around 15,000 TEUs of import boxes for off-loading at the Eco assessment JNP Terminals have reportedly diverted to other ports.

Mumbai oil spill: Taking stock of the losses

Mumbai: After a total shutdown for five days, for Shipping, G. K. Vasan, evaded the question. two of the country's premier ports partially "The point is to get the ports fully operational", he reopened on Thursday morning said.

The Indian Navy's Western Naval Command The minister may avoid the obvious question, but undertook 'Op Pathfinder'. The operation was the losses are for real undertaken to safely escort 13 vessels in and out of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Mumbai Port JNPT that handles close to 65 percent of Trust. container traffic in the country has lost Rs. 2 crore every day, aggregating Rs. 10 crore worth Operation Pathfinder saw four ships of the Indian of revenue lost. The Mumbai Port has lost Rs. Navy, two Chetak helicopters and three 3.5 crore per day in losses, adding up to over Rs. specialised Survey boats, help guide vessels out 17 crore. of the ports. The Federation of Indian Exporters is pegging its The channel was rendered dangerous for losses at Rs. 12.5 crore a day with cargo stuck navigation by the presence of numerous floating and deliveries delayed. and sunken containers after two merchant ships MV Khalijia and MSC Chitra collided off the coast In all losses of over Rs. 90 crore which will be of Mumbai on Saturday morning and over 200 stemmed once the waterway becomes fully containers from MSC Chitra fell into the water. operational. And that could take another month. The channel was surveyed continuously for three days prior to undertaking the operation. Meanwhile, there is no count of the damage to the environment, the marine life and the many When asked about the losses, the Union Minister trades that depend on these waters for sustenanc

Mumbai port partially resumes operations on Thursday

India's busiest port, which was shut after a The collision, which triggered an oil slick, has collision of two cargo ships off Mumbai's hit operations at the Mumbai port and the coast, partially resumed operations on neighbouring Jawaharlal Nehru Port after Thursday, a port official told Reuters. "We are about 300 containers fell into the shipping plying about 6-8 ships in JNPT and Bombay channel used by the ports. Only some Port Trust. It is possible only during high tide containers have been secured and work is and day time," said an official who did not wish underway to remove all the containers that fell to be identified because he is not authorised to into the sea, the official said. Port officials will talk to the media. On Wednesday, meet later in the day to decide when the port Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said operations can resume fully, he added. normal traffic would be resumed by Sunday. (Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Surojit Gupta) (For more news on Reuters India, click http://in.reuters.com )

Mumbai harbour reopens after five days

Mumbai harbour reopened for traffic on The ships were trailed by the Indian Naval Thursday, five days after it was suspended Ship 'Matanga', he said. following a collision between two cargo ships that led to an oil spill, with the Indian Navy Two merchant vessels MSC Chitra and MV escorting 12 freighters in and out of the port. Khalijia III had collided off the Mumbai coast on Saturday. The hull of MSC Chitra loaded The traffic resumed after the Coast Guard and with 1219 containers was breached leading to other agencies involved in salvage efforts the oil slick. Of the 1,219 containers, over 250 cleared the navigational channel of containers were believed to have slipped into the sea. that were adrift after falling off Panaminan The huge containers, either floating or sunk, vessel MSC Chitra, which ran aground as a along the navigation route were retrieved to result of the Saturday crash. clear the channel as they posed a serious threat to vessels. "The Indian Navy commenced escorting a As many as 31 containers of the 1219 on MSC convoy of merchant ships to and out of Chitra have hazardous chemicals, including Mumbai port from 1000 hours," Defence organo-phosphorous pesticides, sodium Spokesman Capt M Nambiar told a news hydrochloride and pyrethroid pesticides. agency. According to Coast Guard sources, an "Seven ships have been escorted out of the estimated 400-500 metric tonnes of oil may harbour while five are being escorted into the have spilled from the vessel which was harbour," he said. carrying 2,662 metric tonnes of oil. The freighters were given aerial assistance in navigating the sea by a helicopter while a Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Mumbai Port minesweeper ship with two survey boats Trust, Coast Guard and foreign experts from equipped with sonar scanners ensured that SMIT, a Netherlands-based company, are the channel was clear for the convoy, he said. jointly carrying out the salvage operation .

Mumbai ports eager to resume normal operations

The government's prime concern is to main shipping channel leading to the MbPT restore normalcy at the Mumbai Port Trust and JNPT. (MbPT) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) at the earliest, Shipping Minister 'The tilt of the ship has been reduced to G.K. Vasan said Thursday. around 60 degrees as against 80 degrees earlier and only one container has fell into 'Operations at both the ports have the sea today. Twenty-six falling (started) partially and we will be able to containers have been secured,' Vasan said. restore total operations in a day or two,' he said here. The Indian Navy's INS Yamnua Wednesday launched a survey of the entire shipping The minister said there will be no shortage channel leading to and from the two main of petroleum or related products over the ports to trace out the sunken containers. next few days. All normal maritime activities had come to 'The accident appears to have happened a halt in Mumbai since Saturday when MSC due to communication errors. The Chitra and a St. Kitts cargo carrier MV Directorate General of Shipping is carrying Khalijia-III collided, around five kilometers out investigations and it will be premature off Mumbai. to comment on the reason for the collision,' Vasan said.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan MUMBAI Aug 12 (Reuters) - India's busiest promised complete coordination in the port, which was shut after a collision of two matter. cargo ships off Mumbai's coast, partially resumed operations on Thursday, a port Five days after two ships collided near official told Reuters. Mumbai harbour, skeletal maritime activity was resumed here early Thursday. "We are plying about 6-8 ships in JNPT and Bombay Port Trust. It is possible only 'However, the assessment of the ecological during high tide and day time," said an loss and the claim of compensation process official who did not wish to be identified will take three months,' said Director because he is not authorised to talk to the General of Shipping Satish Agnihotri. media.

'Seven ships have so far been allowed in On Wednesday, Environment Minister and nine out of Mumbai port,' said Rahul Jairam Ramesh said normal traffic would Asthana, Chairman of MbPT. be resumed by Sunday. [ID:nSGE6790J5]

'I cannot say whether we will be able to The collision, which triggered an oil slick, increase the number of ships. But I can say has hit operations at the Mumbai port and that criticality of cargo will be given the neighbouring Jawaharlal Nehru Port importance. We might allow bigger ships after about 300 containers fell into the and vessels,' Asthana said. shipping channel used by the ports.

The ships that were allowed in were Only some containers have been secured escorted by Indian naval ship INS Matanga and work is underway to remove all the through the approximately 200-metre-wide containers that fell into the sea, the official said. Port officials will meet later in the day to resume fully, he added. (Reporting by decide when the port operations can Swati Pandey; Editing by Surojit Gupta)

Mumbai port partially resumes operations on Thursday MUMBAI Aug 12 (Reuters) - India's busiest The collision, which triggered an oil slick, port, which was shut after a collision of two has hit operations at the Mumbai port and cargo ships off Mumbai's coast, partially the neighbouring Jawaharlal Nehru Port resumed operations on Thursday, a port after about 300 containers fell into the official told Reuters. shipping channel used by the ports.

"We are plying about 6-8 ships in JNPT and Only some containers have been secured Bombay Port Trust. It is possible only and work is underway to remove all the during high tide and day time," said an containers that fell into the sea, the official official who did not wish to be identified said. because he is not authorised to talk to the media. Port officials will meet later in the day to decide when the port operations can On Wednesday, Environment Minister resume fully, he added. (Reporting by Jairam Ramesh said normal traffic would Swati Pandey; Editing by Surojit Gupta) be resumed by Sunday. [ID:nSGE6790J5]

Ships begin moving in Indian port after collision

The Indian navy on Thursday began berthed there, said Capt. Manohar moving merchant ships in and out of a Nambiar, a defense ministry spokesman. major Mumbai port that was closed after two vessels collided and spilled containers, Another five merchant ships were to be fuel and lubricants into the , an escorted out of the harbor later Thursday, official said. Nambiar told The Associated Press.

The Jawahar Lal Nehru port had been Mumbai on India's west coast is the closed since Saturday because nearly 300 country's financial hub. containers had been tossed overboard during the collision, posing a navigational The containers had fallen off the MSC hazard. Chitra, which ran aground and has been listing heavily following the collision. It Using helicopters, minesweepers and sonar spilled nearly 500 tons of its fuel and equipment, the navy created a safe lubricants before the leaks were plugged channel in the sea and escorted seven Monday. The second ship, the MV-Khalijia- ships out of the Mumbai harbor and II, suffered less damage. brought in five vessels waiting to be "In view of the relatively rough position of contamination from hazardous chemicals the sea near the site, an attempt to like sodium hydroxide or pesticides. stabilize the ship and pump fuel oil has not been started yet," said a Maharashtra state However, oil has been sighted ashore in government statement on Wednesday. Mumbai, affecting mangroves in some areas. On Wednesday, the salvers SMIT International, Singapore, recovered 15 Nearly 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) of containers from the sea. fish samples in the area were contaminated with oil. Authorities have The statement said the ship's owner stepped up sample testing the quality of reported about 200 of the more than 500 the fish catch, the statement said. containers on board were empty. The state authorities have banned fishing The government statement said analysis of in the area until Aug. 15. water samples so far showed no