New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has clarified that there is no sign of oil leakage from the beached dredger Bhagavati Prem .
A statement by the NMPT on Friday said that Bhagavati Prem , owned by Mercator Ltd, has been anchored at NMPT from April 2019 without rudders in a deteriorated condition. Subsequent to the breaching of the hull and its flooding, the dredger was beached within the port limits on October 29 2019.
Beaching the dredger was done as a preventive measure and to safeguard the life of the crew on the dredger, it said.
After beaching the vessel, the residual waste oil and garbage were removed and disposed as per the procedures. It said that a team of marine experts and deputy conservators of two major ports was deputed to carry out the condition assessment of the dredger. The team has certified that oil has been removed.
The NMPT statement said that as Mercator Ltd failed to pay port dues and to take away the beached dredger, a public notice was given and e-auctioned through MSTC on June 30.
Also, regarding another dredger Tridevi Prem that sank near NMPT on September 3, 2019, the port said regular water samples are being taken from the site and from the beached dredger Bhagavati Prem. The test results indicate no sign of any oil leakage.