Ctg Port resumes normal operation
Saturday, 25 April 2009
CHITTAGONG, April 24 (Agencies): Operation of the larger vessels at Chittagong port resumed fully at 10:00am Friday after the expansion of the port channel of the Karnaphuli river.
Officials of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said that the movements of vessels to and from the country's premier sea port have been started at 10:00am Friday after the expansion of the port channel.
Sources in the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Friday said the channel has been deepened and widened by dredging and as a result nine feeder vessels have already been entered into the port from outer anchorage.
The CPA dredger 'Khanak' (excavator) was deployed to dredge the channel contiguous to the sunken ship, which helped in increasing the channel depth and width, the Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Syed Farhaduddin said.
Meanwhile, Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin visited the outer anchorage and the place of the accident in the morning.
The minister directed the CPA officials to remove the sunken cement clinker laden vessel from the port channel as soon as possible.
Replying to a question of journalist, the Shipping Minister said that a strong rescue boat would be procured for Chittagong port very soon to face such accident at the port channel of the Karnaphuli river.
CPA Chairman Commodore RU Ahmed and high officials of the port authority accompanied with the minister during the visit.
The CPA chairman said we have engaged three local salvage teams to remove the sunken ship from the mouth of the channel to facilitate free movements of the arriving and out going vessels.
They assured us of removing the ship within a week, the chairman added.
The ship MV Seven Circle-25 with 1100 metric tonnes of cement clinker sank during the stormy weather in the sea while it was bringing the imported cement-clinker from a mother vessel from outer anchorage of the Bay of Bengal at about 8.15pm Tuesday last.
Officials of the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) said that the movements of vessels to and from the country's premier sea port have been started at 10:00am Friday after the expansion of the port channel.
Sources in the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Friday said the channel has been deepened and widened by dredging and as a result nine feeder vessels have already been entered into the port from outer anchorage.
The CPA dredger 'Khanak' (excavator) was deployed to dredge the channel contiguous to the sunken ship, which helped in increasing the channel depth and width, the Chittagong Port Authority Secretary Syed Farhaduddin said.
Meanwhile, Shipping Minister Dr Afsarul Amin visited the outer anchorage and the place of the accident in the morning.
The minister directed the CPA officials to remove the sunken cement clinker laden vessel from the port channel as soon as possible.
Replying to a question of journalist, the Shipping Minister said that a strong rescue boat would be procured for Chittagong port very soon to face such accident at the port channel of the Karnaphuli river.
CPA Chairman Commodore RU Ahmed and high officials of the port authority accompanied with the minister during the visit.
The CPA chairman said we have engaged three local salvage teams to remove the sunken ship from the mouth of the channel to facilitate free movements of the arriving and out going vessels.
They assured us of removing the ship within a week, the chairman added.
The ship MV Seven Circle-25 with 1100 metric tonnes of cement clinker sank during the stormy weather in the sea while it was bringing the imported cement-clinker from a mother vessel from outer anchorage of the Bay of Bengal at about 8.15pm Tuesday last.