No communication yet from ‘toxic’ ship:

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has said it has not received any communication from Gulf Jash, a toxic-laden vessel reportedly heading towards Alang Shipbreaking Yard after Bangladesh declined it entry in its recycling yards.

S C Mathur, Chief Nautical Officer, GMB said there has been no communication from the ship yet, and neither has it been spotted.

“Ever since we came to know about it, we have issued strict orders to the port officer at Alang not allow the ship to dock before an investigation, which would be carried out by a team of GMB, Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) and Customs officers to verify all the documents and check whether it is carrying any toxic material as is being stated,” said Mathur.

GMB had also asked the Vessel Traffic Monitoring System (VTMS) positioned in the Gulf of Khambat to keep a watch for the vessel.

There has been no indication of the ship entering the home waters as yet, he said.

GPCB chairman K U Mistry said his staff at Alang and Bhavnagar are on the alert and ready for investigation in case the ship contacts GMB.

According to the prevailing rates at Alang, Gulf Jash will fetch roughly Rs 1.4 crore in profits.

Source: Express News Service. 3 June 2011

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