Vessel to Andamans runs aground, glare on maintenance of ships

KOLKATA: Passengers aboard MV Nicobar that sails between Kolkata and Port Blair in the Andamans were panic-stricken early on Wednesday after the vessel ran aground close to the navigation channel near Kolkata.
Movement of ships to and from the Kolkata port had to be suspended.The incident has raised questions on the maintenance and condition of the vessels.
“There was a major scare as the channel got blocked after MV Nicobar ran aground. No movement of ships was possible. Fortunately, the ship succeeded in pulling itself free after a while and the channel was cleared. Had it remained stuck any longer, port operations would have got affected,” a senior Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) official said.
Initially, officials in the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) Ltd that operates the services between Kolkata and Port Blair tried to pass it off as a routine glitch that occurs when ships set sail. On probing further, some officials admitted that the ships operating in this sector are well past their prime and the Government of India needs to look into this for the sake of passengers’ safety. In fact, people pay much more for the deluxe cabins on these ships than what they would have paid for a flight.
Adeluxe cabin on MV Nicobar and MV Akbar costs Rs 10,240 for non-islanders. A firstclass cabin on MV Nicobar costs Rs 8,490 while a secondclass cabin comes for Rs 6,750. Several cabin passengers have complained that the voyages aren’t as comfortable as they ought to be.
“Save for the MV Harshavardhana, the four other ships that operate between Kolkata, Chennai, Vizag and Port Blair are owned by the Andaman & Nicobar Administration. SCI only operates the services on their behalf. Most of the ships are well past their prime and we struggle to maintain them. A ship’s lifespan can’t be more than 22-25 years. However, MV Nicobar has been sailing for 27 years and MV Akbar for 47 years. Even the MV Harshavardhana that was sold and handed over to its buyer by SCI on Thursday, is 44 years old,” an official said.