711 - 08/10 - Port closure - India

The Association would like to advise Members of the current situation in Mumbai and Nhava Sheva following a collision between two vessels.

One of the vessels has fallen onto her side at the entrance to Mumbai harbour. Over two hundred containers have fallen into the water and a number of these are said to be blocking the main navigation channel. The navy has a vessel surveying the channel so that sunken containers can be identified and removed by salvors.

At present both Mumbai and Nhava Sheva are closed. However priority is being given to re-opening both ports. The local authorities are hopeful that the channel will be cleared and the ports opened in four days but this will depend on how operations proceed.

Members planning to send vessels to either of these ports should contact their local agent for the latest information. Significant delays may be experienced once the ports open, due to the back log of traffic waiting to enter port at this time.

Source of Information:

Pandi Correspondents Pvt. Ltd,

pandi@vsnl.com