Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, July 05: Finally the Directorate of Shipping Services is planning to press the sick vessel MV Campbell Bay into service as most of the complicated design problems have now been ‘partially’ sorted out.
However the directorate of Shipping Services maintained that it would be totally safe for passengers to travel in MV Campbell Bay.
“Yes, it would be totally safe. There is no risk for passengers. Only speed will be less for now,” Captain K S Sesha Sai, the Director of Shipping Services told Andaman Sheekha today.
The Director added that at present the Shipping Department is waiting for ‘A’ certificate for the vessel and once the certificate is received within 48 hours the ships will be pressed into service.
The Shipping Services was planning to do this one week back but for various formalities and official hurdles this could not be done. The Directorate of Shipping Services presently plans to run the ship atleast for four months to find out what more problems the ship might develop.
The Shipping Department is also worried about the health of the foreign vessel MF Samsun, which is operating in Nicobar route back to back, without any rest.
“We have left no stone un-turn to press MV Campbell Bay into service. Our best efforts will be to do this within one week time,” Captain Sesha Sai added.
Hope that the ‘partially’ fit vessel MV Campbell Bay, which has already earned the name of ‘White Elephant’ in A & N Islands, will not let the DSS down.
