Taking effective measures to contain pollution, the Indian Coast guard on Monday pushed into service its six vessels and a helicopter to contain the oil spill resulting out of the collisions of two cargo ships off Mumbai Coast. A coast guard official informed that six ships and a helicopter with anti pollution disposal spray systems have been put on the job to contain the oil spill. Meanwhile, Directorate General of Shipping's Chief Nautical Advisor M.M. Savvi said that the Directorate General of Shipping has initiated investigation into the Sunday's incident. He also informed that the port operation would start shortly. AIR Mumbai Correspondent reports, traffic at the harbour has been partially suspended as a precaution following the fall of around 200 oil containers from the MSC Chitra, an outbound merchant vessel from Navi Mumbai, after a collision with another vessel, the MV Khalijia-III on Saturday. Six Coast Guard vessels and a helicopter with anti-pollution dispersal spray systems were pressed into service by the Indian Coast guard to contain an oil spill. The oil spill spread up to around 2 nautical miles around the ship. The oil spill into the sea seems to pose serious environmental risk for Mumbai and its surrounding coastal areas. However, Mumbai Port Trust chairman Rahul Asthana said the spill was not major but admitted that the position of the MSC Chitra was 'dangerous'. The tugs of the port were kept ready to prevent it from drifting towards the main shipping lane and blocking it.
News On AIR | August 9, 2010 12:49 PM
Traffic at Mumbai harbour remains suspended following collision between two ships