VASCO: In order to take up ambitious plan for development of Vasco Bay, Mormugao Port Trust has decided to remove the remnants of German merchant vessels Ehrenfels and Brownfels that capsized during the World War II in River Zuari and since then the shipwreck has been lying in the seabed near Khariwado shore, informed MPT Chairman I Jeyakumar.
According to Jeyakumar, wreckages of ships, which still exist close to MPT’s navigational channel, are directly affecting smooth movements of barges to and from the port. In the past, MPT had proposed to salvage these shipwrecks, however now as MPT has already taken decision to build the fishing harbour at Vasco bay near Khariwado, a decision to remove the wreckage of German merchant vessels Ehrenfels and Brownfels, that capsized during the World War II and their remnants are lying in the sea near Khariwado has been taken.
“Though we had identified three such ship wreckages and had even floated tenders to salvage wreck pieces from the seabed as so to make obstacle free navigational channel, however as the cost for salvaging these shipwrecks was going little high, MPT has now modified its plan and decided to remove the remnants of Ehrenfels and Brownfels, which are lying close to Khariwado as without the removal of this shipwrecks, MPT cannot go ahead with its development of Vasco Bay plan. Other shipwrecks would be removed at a later stage” Jeyakumar said.
He said, “In the past, MPT had received several representations from the barge owners association with their concerns over the existence of shipwrecks obstructing their operations. Barge operators had even complained that their barges are getting damaged when the same comes in contact with remnants of sunken ships including the World War II shipwrecks that have lain undisturbed in Goa’s coastal waters for decades. So we have decided to remove remnants of Ehrenfels and Brownfels. We have already issued tenders and the work is expected to be completed in two months time” he told.
As per MPT’s plan, the shipwrecks will be removed completely and shifted to a location identified behind Berth 11 of the port.
