Goa fears threat to coastline, ecology from abandoned vessel

An unmanned cargo vessel lying off the Goan coast with dead engine and 400 metric tonnes of fuel can be hazardous for the ecology and coastline, the state government has said.
State tourism department in an order issued today has declared the ship MV Pratibha Bheema as a nuisance under section 6 of Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act 2001.
Tourism director Nikhil Desai has asked Mumbai-based M/s Pratibha Shipping Company to remove the ship within 15 days, failing which it would be disposed by the government.
Goa's Port department had taken over the ship in December 2013 when it was abandoned mid sea by the company with its crew on board.

The state government had later evacuated the crew, who left the ship unmanned.
"It has been reported that the vessel which is lying abandoned off the Miramar coast with its engine inoperational, is unmanned, unlit and unsafe posing a navigational hazard, security threat and there are chances of anchor dragging which will result in drifting and grounding the vessel at the Goan coastline," the state tourism department has said.

The order mentions that the 400 metric tonnes of fuel that the vessel has will pose an imminent threat to the ecologically sensitive Goa coast.
The tourism department, which had taken the report from ports department, concluded that the vessel is currently on single anchorage, unmanned and without any engine support.

The order also mentions that the vessel is a dead entity without engine to undertake any navigation.
The department has said that the vessel runs a severe risk of anchor snapping due to strong waves and winds and thus "it has a high possibility to drift to the coast and pose a severe threat to life and property."
It may severely damage the tourism potential of Goan coastline and the beaches which may lead to widespread ramifications and an environmental disaster, it further said.
The state government has also termed the vessel as a "time bomb" as it is not gas-free and the presence of any spark is sufficient to cause explosion.