VASCO: The Government of India has mandated insurance coverage for every passenger being ferried even as the Mormugao Port Passenger Boat and Launch Owners Association demanded that the additional financial burden be borne by shipping agents.
In order to brief the stakeholders about the new circular, the Captain of Ports on Monday held a joint meeting with Mormugao port shipping agents, stevedores, shippers and launch owners, where the voiced their strong apprehensions over the new circular on passenger insurance.
Launch owners argued that the circular imposes an additional financial burden on their operations. They emphasised that their primary role is ferrying passengers to ships anchored off the port and that the mandatory insurance coverage will put financial strain on their businesses.
Mormugao Port Passenger Boat and Launch Owners Association
President Jose Philip D’Souza said that the boat owners were already suffering due to low business and mandatory insurance for passengers will burden them further. He pointed out that they had insured their boats and the crew and issuing passengers will strain them further.
According to D’Souza, the boats in the port only ferry staff of shipping agents or crew of ships from the port to the ships at anchorage.
He said that they have resolved not to pass the burden on the passengers or hike their rates and will take a decision only after working out the costs as per the passenger capacity.
“After working out the costs, we will request shipping agents and stakeholders, who provide us passengers to share the burden with us on a ratio that will mutually agreed upon,” D’Souza said.
