Port Blair, Sept 17: In a meeting jointly chaired by Union Minister of Shipping, Mr. G.K. Vasan and Lt. Governor A & N Islands, Lt Gen (Retd) Bhopinder Singh, PVSM, AVSM at Raj Niwas, a High Powered Committee comprising of senior officers from the A & N Islands, Ministry of Shipping, Directorate General of Shipping and Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) was constituted to coordinate and to take on the spot decisions relating to Shipping Sector e.g; matters relating to annual passenger surveys, acquisition and chartering of vessels, issuance of ‘A’ Certificates, exemption from Simplified Voice Data Recorder and Bridge Navigation Watch Alarm System etc. It was also decided that at least three ships would always remain functional for the mainland-island sector. Completion of MV Mayabunder would also be expedited by awarding the remaining works at the earliest.
MV Campbell Bay would undertake sailing in about a fortnight at the reduced speed before it goes for dry docking for rectification of major defects. Other issues relating to establishment of dock and ship repair facilities and establishment of A & N Maritime Board were also discussed.
The notification relating to vessel related charges and revised cargo related charges will be issued expeditiously alongwith an authority to the Administration to revise these notifications time to time. The post of Chief Port Administrator will also be filled up at an early date. The meeting was attended by Secretary (Shipping), Govt. of India, Advisor, Govt. of India, Mr. H.K.S. Makwana, PS to Minister, Mr. S.J. Chiru, OSD, representatives of DG Shipping, Shipping Corporation of India with Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary (Shipping) and other senior officers of A & N Administration.
