The Hindu Business Line : Ship movement may be curbed in rough weather

New norms
During May 15 to November 30 (the rough weather period) the DG Shipping will allow charter of tankers only of less than 25 years (30 years in the case of gas carriers).
The ships should be CAS (Condition Assessment Scheme) and CAP-2 (Condition Assessment Programme) rated and classed with the Indian Register of Shipping.

T.E. Raja Simhan

Chennai, Nov. 26 Concerned over the number of marine accidents in and around Indian waters during rough weather, the Directorate-General of Shipping (DG Shipping) has proposed greater restrictions on plying of chartered vessels in Indian territorial waters during the rough weather season. It has also issued fresh guidelines on this.

Around 25 ships sank in the Arabian Sea in the last three years due to rough weather mainly due to technical failure in vessels and negligence of seafarers. During the onset of monsoon in June, there were 13 weather-related marine causalities (mainly of old vessels) reported in two weeks.

Analysis of the accidents over the last three years showed a high correlation between age of vessels and the break-downs that caused these casualties, according to DG Shipping that deals with all executive matters relating to Indian merchant shipping.

New guidelines

As per the fresh guidelines, during May 15 to November 30 (the rough weather period) the DG Shipping will allow charter of tankers only of less than 25 years (30 years in the case of gas carriers). The ships should be CAS (Condition Assessment Scheme) and CAP-2 (Condition Assessment Programme) rated and classed with the Indian Register of Shipping.

The DG Shipping also said that from January 1, 2008, applications for permissions for chartering in/grant of licence to vessels either for single or specific voyages or time charters to visit an Indian port or to ply in Indian territorial waters or the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone during May 15 to November 30 (period of rough weather along the East and West Coasts of the Indian Peninsula) will be entertained:

— only from vessels (other than gas carriers) of less than 25 years old. In considering time charters, the age of the vessel at the time of terminal of time charger operations will be taken in to account and not at the time of commencement of time charter operation;

— only from and product tankers that double hull or without reference to age need to fulfil the CAS and CAP ratings assigned by the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS);

— only from bulk carriers, licence will be issued only for those vessels that are classed with IRS and have undergone inspection and complete rectification of deficiencies of hull, machinery, safety appliances and operations requirements (like manning) before entry into Indian territorial waters.

The restrictions on the vessels were based on recommendations given by a committee set up in July by the Shipping Ministry.

An inter-ministerial group headed by the DG Shipping and representatives from Navy, Coast Guard and ports went into issues related to marine causalities.

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