One of the biggest maritime disasters in India, the collision between MSC Chitra with MV Khalijia-III few days back about five kilometres off the Mumbai coast has brought maritime activity to a grinding halt in the region.
All shipping activities have been suspended at the two busiest ports, the Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, which together handle 70 per cent of martime trade in India.
Besides, trade, the seafood industry is also likely to be hit as fishermen have been asked not to carry out any fishing activities till the oil spill is contained. About 400 tonnes of oil is estimated to have been spilt in this disaster.
The marine life and ecology along the Mumbai coastline and the Arabian Sea are likely to be impacted as the spill would take a month to be fully under control, although the government says that the Mumbai harbour, which has been affected by the recent oil spill, would be cleared for transportation by August 15.
Sinking MSC Chitra off Mumbai Coast
This is reportedly the worst-ever oil spill in the Arabian Sea.
Though worst Maritime disaster to India in terms of environment no life has been lost. MV Arcadia Pride went into sea with almost all crew on board during April 1997 off the same Mumbai coast.
Though the investigations must be on, but first instance looks like bridge team at both or at least is at fault. Having said that MSC ships are no ideal ships to sail on (thanks to my first hand information on sailing on MSC ships------ typical example - MSC Shirley had a hole in the bottom while there was leakages between ballast n fuel oil tanks (also a regular feature on MSC Hong Kong ships) while I was sailing on board.) This means collision or not MSC ships ( esp managed by MSC Hong Kong Management that runs MSC Chitra) anyways are a huge potential for pollution. Also MSC Chitra had a poor Port State Inspection record at Australia....................... India should have avoided taking in such ship to avoid, if not eliminate, such disasters in future.
