JN Port not to halt night operations

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), which handles more than half of the country's container traffic, has dropped its plan to suspend night pilotage operations due to severe manpower shortage.

While JNPT Deputy Chairperson Maya Sinha said the port would manage the situation and there was no intention to suspend night pilotage, sources said the port might consider sub-contracting pilots from a third party to meet the shortage, subject to the approval of the shipping ministry.

The service of pilots, who assist a ship entering into a port, is a basic requirement for a ship to claim insurance coverage for accidents in the restricted water limits of a port.

Following a JNPT official's statement that the port was considering suspending night pilotage, representatives of the Container Shipping Lines' Association and the Mumbai and Nhava Sheva Ship Agents' Association had met JNPT authorities to call off the proposed move.

"We had a meeting with the JNPT chairperson, who assured us that there would be no suspension of night pilot operations. A clarification will be issued in tomorrow's daily berthing meeting," said Julian Bevis, chairman, Container Shipping Lines Association.

The port would also discuss the shortage of pilots and their remuneration in the next board meeting, the sources said.