The owner of the container vessel from Bangladesh that capsized at the Kolkata port on March 24 has told the authorities that he has abandoned the rescue efforts, officials said on Friday.
The vessel, MV MarineTrust-01, is blocking a berth of the Netaji Subhas Dock, said a Kolkata Port Trust official. The port, he said, is suffering a loss of Rs 40 lakh a day because the berth is blocked.
The vessel capsized around 9am, 15 minutes after goods were loaded on it, at berth number five. Several containers went into the water.
“The owner of the vessel, based in Bangladesh, had written to the insurance companies to conduct salvage operations. The insurance companies rejected the request. So the owner deployed a local salvage agency, which did not have much expertise,” said an official of the CPT.
He said the insurance companies usually bring in salvage agencies who hire trained personnel.
“The local agency recovered a few containers but left midway…. Now, the owner of the vessel has informed us that he has abandoned the vessel,” said the official.
The port authorities will request the insurance companies to appoint a salvage agency to clear the berth.
The 15 crew members are not being allowed to return home, the official said.
“When the vessel is finally salvaged, we will need the crew members,” he said.