TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The Captain of Ports department is likely to direct Autumn Harvest Maritime Company of Monrovia, Liberia, to shift out the abandoned transhipper M T Pratibha Bheema, before the onset of this monsoon, to prevent any oil spill or grounding of the vessel.
The company, which won the auction bid for the oil tanker, had deposited the auction amount of Rs 53.75 crore with the Bombay High Court, which had directed the Sheriff of Mumbai to auction the vessel.
Captain James Braganza said that the vessel is not very old and its oil cargo seems safe. However, we have to be prepared to deal with an oil spill, in case it happens. Aware of this potential danger the vessel should be shifted out before monsoon. The vessel is carrying around 300 tonnes of crude oil and is anchored 8 nautical miles off Mira Mar beach.
for over a year, after the shipping company went bankrupt in 2012.
