As a part of the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the Indian Ports Act, the New Mangalore Port Trust has started the process of ‘arresting and beaching’ of Bhagavati Prem, a dredger, after it started to drift.
The dredger is owned by Mumbai-based Mercator Ltd. Tridevi Prem, another dredger of the same company, had sunk about 2.5 nautical miles off the port on September 2.
NMPT Chairman A V Ramana said that the port had issued several notices to Mercator, asking them to remove the dredgers from port limits. The NMPT is executing a standard operating procedure to prevent mishaps of sinking and possible environment hazard, he added.
With meteorological reports mentioning the possibility of another low-pressure system off the coast of Karnataka within a week, the deputy conservator of the Port has pressed service to carry out the SOP and prevent any untoward incident.