Ship collisions recurring at outer anchorage
Incidents of ships colliding and going aground in the Chattogram port's outer anchorage are actually alarmingly recurring, which officials and buyers apprehend could tarnish the graphic of Bangladesh's premier harbour found in global shipping business.
The collisions are occurring between ships arriving from the deep sea-Kutubdia path and making a stopover at the outer anchorage to partially unload import cargo onto comparatively smaller lighter vessels, before going to enter the port jetties.
Although ships can offload almost all their import cargo anchoring in the deep sea around Kutubdia, their tendency is to come over to the outer anchorage near to the Patenga coast in an attempt to reduce expenses.
However the difficulty arises in controlling such deep draft vessels at the comparatively shallow waters at the outer anchorage, in particular when trying to go at night bow of anchored vessels at close array, leading to the frequent collisions.
Underestimating local conditions like tides, wind and currents together with wrong utilization of anchoring space simply by the ships' pilots will be the major reasons behind such accidents, in line with the pilots at the slot.
The port users fear that foreign vessel owners and operators risk turning reluctant in transporting things to Chattogram or attempt to raise freight impose because of such risks of incidents which affect vessels and lead to financial losses.
Port officials said unwillingness of the delivery agents found in complying with a couple of directives of Chattogram Slot Authority (CPA) over a year ago to ensure safety of vessels relocating the region makes them vunerable to accidents.
On the night time of December 27, MV Diomidis ran aground near Alpha Anchorage.
On the morning hours of December 13, MV Safe and sound Sea Anya collided with an anchored MV Ken Wave while trying to make a stopover and then hit an adjoining stationary lighter vessel, Water Lily.
The starboard bow of MV Safe and sound Sea Anya got damaged as the lighter vessel suffered structural damages.
Nine this sort of incidents have already been recorded so much this year for the outer anchorage while 6 incidents occurred before two months in an interval when the sea remains calm compared to that during the monsoon.
A complete of 283 vessels were involved with collisions at the outer anchorage in the 10 years to 2019.
Port officials said almost all of these accidents are actually occurring in the Alpha Anchorage away of three anchorage areas of the outer anchorage.
As Alpha Anchorage is of a deeper depth in comparison to its two peers, Bravo and Charlie anchorages, virtually all vessels prefer to anchor at the former. The risk of crashes rises when way too many vessels make an effort to anchor there.
From this backdrop, the CPA in October this past year issued a circular passing lots of directives regarding building stopovers at the three anchorages.
They include availing mandatory pilotage assistance service from the port while sailing vessels from Kutubdia to the outer anchorage.
In the circular, the CPA built pilotage or navigational assistance company compulsory for incoming ships having a draft of more than 10 metres
It was strongly suggested for vessels of 9.5 metres to 10 metres of draft and simply recommended for any other vessel bound for the Chattogram outer anchorage from Kutubdia.
It also asked agents of vessels whose draft has ended 9.5 metres to notify the CPA at least three days in advance before proceeding for the outer anchorage.
After getting such notifications from the agents, individual spots will be demarked at Alpha Anchorage.
Such vessels need to have pilot from the CPA while a expert mariner must stay on board until the draft reduces to 9.5 metres and the dragging tendency is eradicated.
CPA Deputy Conservator Captain Faridul Alam said because of opposition from a section of shipping agents, the circular cannot be brought into force.
Interface officials said the circular that was first issued in October this past year was first supposed to come into effect from December 1, 2019 but the association of shipping agents sought two even more months to comply with it.
As the pandemic started spreading in March, not any initiative could possibly be taken so far in this regard.
Ahsanul Haq Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Shipping Brokers Association, said their customers were against taking pilotage assistance support fearing that it could raise cost.
He, however, explained discipline at the outer anchorage ought to be maintained with regard to safety and security.
He said the pilotage fee needs to be finalised through discussions with the delivery agents.
Market insiders said a good section of shipping brokers individually hired pilots in cheaper rates but collected big sums of money from the vessel owners, that was why they were against availing pilotage service from the port.
CPA Member (harbour and marine) Commodore Mostafizur Rahman said there was no alternative to maintaining discipline to avert incidents in the outer anchorage.
He said the difference found in opinions among the agents about the directions could possibly be resolved. He educated that necessary steps will be used this regard soon.
