Declining water depth at Mumbai port a worry: trade body

A trade body today said despite dredging for over two months, Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) is yet to achieve the desired draft or depth required for smooth operations at one of the country's oldest facilities.
The Mumbai and Nhava Sheva Ship Agents Association (Mansa) said there is a lack of initiative within the port to do the draft survey in a timely manner, resulting in the problem.
"Though there were clear-cut orders from the Chairman MbPT that draft survey/soundings should be taken within three days of carrying out dredging, there seems to be no prompt compliance," it said in a letter addressed to the deputy conservator of MbPT.

It added that the ship-agent members of the body "feel absolutely let down and desperate" because the desired drafts "are not achieved despite continued dredging for the past two or three months".
In a statement, the trade body said in November, shipping lines had expressed apprehensions over calling at Mumbai port following reduced draft levels which put the vessels in a vulnerable position while berthing.
"It was feared that decline in draught levels would lead to bunching of deep draught vessels increasing their turn around and waiting time at the port," it said.
Citing data shared in November, Mansa said the draft levels had dropped to 5.3 metres in some berths as compared to the minimum desired level of 9.1 metres.