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"Mumbai Departure"

Feature Date: August 7 2010 (Singles Only)

Event Date: July 7 2010

MV MSC Chintra

Countryman & McDaniel

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"Overlooking Runway 25 - Right, at Los Angeles International Airport"

On The Scene -- Off Mumbai, India

 A 2010 Countryman & McDaniel

Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

Feature UpdateEvents & Issues:

August 12 2010 - Reclamation & Salvage - Port Reopens

August 13 2010 - Cause of The Loss?

August 14 2010 - Blame Suggested For MV Khalijia-III

August 18 2010 - MSC Owners Told To Pay Up - Experts Finally Board Chitra

August 21 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra - The Pheonix Shp - Back From The Dead?

August 26 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra - Off Loading The Containers To Begin

September. 19 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra Emits Toxic Gas - Containers Still Aboard

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The Cargo Letter Photo Gallery of Transport Loss - Items Below Are Only A Sample

"Taken For Granite" - M/V Sophie Oldendorff July 4 2010

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A Cargo Nightmare Prize Contender

The Date: August 7 2010

The Time: 9:50 am

The Place: Off Mumbai, India

The Cargo: Containers

 

"Mumbai Departure"

M/V MSC Chitra

On The Scene Off Mumbai, India

August 7 2010

 

M/V MSC Chitra - In Better Days

M/V MSC Chintra

Flag: Panama

Type: Container Vessel - Hazard C (Minor)

Port of Registry:Panama

Built: 1980

Length: 234.00 meters

Beam: 32.00 meters

Draught: 10.2 meters

M/V MSC Chintra

DWT: 38,485 tons

TEU: 8194

Speed: Max / Average 17.3 / 16.2 knots

Crew: 22

Callsign:H9VU

IMO Number:7814838, MMSI: 357649000

The Prolog To Disaster -- Mumbai Departure
 

PROLOG

MV Khalijia-III was on approach to Mumbai, India.

This story is about M/V MSC Chitra "On Mamba Departure".

It was just before 10 am on a fairly clear day. Both ships with radar, GPS & Harbor Master instructions.

As our resident Countryman & McDaniel vessel hull & machinery marine expert & litigator Geoff Gill, Esq. will explain in days to come -- the factor of human error has more influence on these situations than all the technology man might want to invent. Geoff Gill is a U.S. Mercantant Marine Academy graduate & licensed unlimited sailing Master who has fought the litigation which flows from collisions of this type throughout the world.

It all -- of course -- boils down to our guiding code. "Ship Happens! ©"

Michael S. McDaniel - Your Editor

M/V MSC Chitra In Better Days

M/V MSC Chitra - Grounded, Listing, Sinking & Leaking Oil Off Mumbai -- Speaerd By MV Khalijia-III

MV Khalijia-III In Better Days. But This Vessel Is Now A Bit Shorter.

 From The Cargo Letter - August 7 2010
Two Panamanian cargo ships collided today -- August 7 2010 -- off the Mumbai coast causing an oil spill from one of the vessels but no casualties were reported, Indian Coast Guard (ICG)officials said. 33 crew members, including two Pakistanis, were rescued following the incident.

The Indian Costal Guard vessel ICG Kamala Devi was diverted for rescue and relief operations in response to an SOS message.

M/V MSC Chitra, the outbound merchant vessel from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), collided with MV Khalijia-III, 5 nautical miles from the shores at 9:50 am when the latter was sailing towards Mumbai Port Trust (MPT), off Mumbai harbor, for berthing. Both the ships, measuring at least 180 metres in length, developed cracks following the collision.

M/V MSC Chitra listed sharply under the impact, resulting in oil spill, they said. A senior Coast Guard official said on condition of that the spill was "significant" but claimed the situation was "under control".

M/V MSC Chitra, measuring at least 180 meters in length, developed cracks following the collision. M/V MSC Chitra listed sharply under the impact, resulting in oil spill, they said. A senior Coast Guard official said on condition of that the spill was "significant" but claimed the situation was "under control". The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a call soon after the collision and the Regional Operational Centre promptly diverted Coast Guard ship ICG Kamala Devi for assistance, the officials said. The Indian captain and 32 crew members of M/V MSC Chitra were evacuated and the ship was grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a call soon after the collision and the Regional Operational Centre promptly diverted Coast Guard ship ICG Kamala Devi for assistance, the officials said. The Indian captain and 32 crew members of M/V MSC Chitra were evacuated and the ship was grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse.

MV Khalijia-III Is Now A Bit Shorter After The Collsion With M/V MSC Chitra

There Were No Injuries - Except To M/V MSC Chitra

The Injury To M/V MSC Chitra Could Prove To Be Mortal

 From The Cargo Letter - August 7 2010
Two Panamanian cargo ships collided today -- August 7 2010 -- off the Mumbai coast causing an oil spill from one of the vessels but no casualties were reported, Indian Coast Guard (ICG)officials said. 33 crew members, including two Pakistanis, were rescued following the incident.

The Indian Costal Guard vessel ICG Kamala Devi was diverted for rescue and relief operations in response to an SOS message.

M/V MSC Chitra, the outbound merchant vessel from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), collided with MV Khalijia-III, 5 nautical miles from the shores at 9:50 am when the latter was sailing towards Mumbai Port Trust (MPT), off Mumbai harbor, for berthing. Both the ships, measuring at least 180 metres in length, developed cracks following the collision.

M/V MSC Chitra listed sharply under the impact, resulting in oil spill, they said. A senior Coast Guard official said on condition of that the spill was "significant" but claimed the situation was "under control".

M/V MSC Chitra, measuring at least 180 meters in length, developed cracks following the collision. M/V MSC Chitra listed sharply under the impact, resulting in oil spill, they said. A senior Coast Guard official said on condition of that the spill was "significant" but claimed the situation was "under control". The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a call soon after the collision and the Regional Operational Centre promptly diverted Coast Guard ship ICG Kamala Devi for assistance, the officials said. The Indian captain and 32 crew members of M/V MSC Chitra were evacuated and the ship was grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) received a call soon after the collision and the Regional Operational Centre promptly diverted Coast Guard ship ICG Kamala Devi for assistance, the officials said. The Indian captain and 32 crew members of M/V MSC Chitra were evacuated and the ship was grounded in the vicinity of the Prong Reef Lighthouse.

M/V MSC Chitra Is Sinking. The Impact Appears To Have Located The Engine Spaces

Deck Gun Covered, Indian Coast Guard Speeds To The Scene

Indian Coast Guard Drops Additional Pumps to Stricken M/V MSC Chitra

Tugs Attempt to Stabilize M/V MSC Chitra

M/V MSC Chitra Discharging Massive Oil Spill

Tug Pull Continues To Stabilize M/V MSC Chitra

Even At The Start, At Least 6 Relief Vessels Were On Scene

BUT -- All The King's Horses & All The King's Men ........

M/V MSC Chitra Leads The Parade of Her Containers Spilling Overside - And Oil From Her Bunkers

 From The Cargo Letter - August 8 2010
The spillage from M/V MSC Chitra, after it collided with M/V MV Khalijia-III, is estimated to be three to four tons an hour. Aggravating the situation is the continual falling of containers from the cargo of M/V MSC Chitra, which is sinking after listing precariously.

The Indian Coast Guard on Aug. 8 sounded an alert over the oil spill off the Mumbai coast as the slick covered a large area, up to five nautical miles, from the spot where the vessels collided on Aug. 7 morning. Six vessels from Indian Coast Guard are working to contain the oil spill and to prevent any environmental disaster. The coast guard said the vessel is carrying 2,662 tons of fuel, 283 tons of diesel fuel and 88,040 liters of lube oil. The oil spill could be seen for miles, officials said.

M/V MSC Chitra is currently listing at about 45 degrees, causing about 200 containers to fall into the sea -- 32 of these containers with dangerous cargo. A total of 1,219 containers were aboard. "Our main concern is that the vessel position should not deteriorate further," Coast Guard Commandant S.S. Dasila said by phone.

Traffic remains suspended at Mumbai harbor.

The Skyline of Mumbai Looms Over M/V MSC Chitra

M/V MSC Chitra - Containers Spill Over Side

Reefer Cargo Shows The Collision Scars of Meeting M/V MV Khalijia-III

M/V MSC Chitra Under The Indian Sun. She Is Dying,Grounded.And Nowhere To Go

This Could Be A Godsend To Salvors.

 From The Cargo Letter - August 9 2010 - The Death of M/V MSC Chitra

M/V MSC Chitra has listed to 80 degrees and the total oil spill is nearly 50 tons", Arun Singh, Commandant (Operations), Indian Coast Guard said.

He said so far, 300 containers have gone overside into the water.  

Passing 80 Degrees, Cargo Containers Topple Into The Sea

Like The Wooden Blocks We Played With As Children.

Millions of Dollars of Indian Export Efforts Topple To The Sea

M/V MSC Chitra Seemingly At Rest, Trailing Her Million Dollar Parade of High Priced Cargo

If M/V MSC Chitra Stabilizes At This Point, Perhaps She Might Be Salvaged

 From The Cargo Letter - August 10 2010 - Picking Up The Pieces

The Indian Government told salvagers to accelerate the removal of hundreds of containers ditched into the sea off Mumbai's coast as the nation's busiest cargo-box harbor remained closed for a third day.

"This work has to be speeded up," Rakesh Srivastava, the joint secretary for ports at the Ministry of Shipping, said in an interview yesterday after a meeting to discuss recovery operations. Salvagers are retrieving four to six boxes a day of the 300 that are floating in the sea or submerged, he said.

The containers must be removed by Aug. 14 to pave the way for the re-opening of Jawaharlal Nehru Port and the smaller Mumbai Port, which together handle about 40% t of India's exports, Srivastava said. The shutdown has disrupted deliveries of oil to a local refinery, hindered shipments of grains and forced container terminal operators to suspend export bookings.

M/V MSC Chitra Might Be Salvaged, But None of Her Cargo.

This Will Be A True Cargo Nightmare For Those Without High Quality Cargo Insurance

From The Cargo Letter - August 12 2010 - Reclamation & Salvage - Port Reopens

The Mumbai Sessions Court on Aug. 10 granted bail to Capt. Ranjit Martin of M/V MSC Chitra, the ship that collided with another Panamanian ship off Mumbai coast resulting in oil slick and large scale marine eco-pollution.

Ranjit in his bail plea said the collision happened because of a navigational error caused by the failure of radio communication. He also argued that there was no error on his part and pointed out that he had been working in the industry for the last 18 years.

Meanwhile, a Singapore-based company would begin salvage operations.

A crane mounted on a ship has been placed next to M/V MSC Chitra and preliminary clearing operations have begun.

The plan is to remove the containers, pump out oil and then tow the ship to the shore.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) today began conducting random checks of seafood items in its markets to ensure that whether it is contamination-free.

India's busiest container port resumed partial operations, ending a three-day shutdown caused by the ship collision that stranded about US$4B of exports.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port let one ship through this morning and will allow vessels with a draft of up to nine meters to move during high tide, Chief Manager S.N. Maharana said in a phone interview. The adjacent Mumbai Port is also considering opening its channel after a meeting today, Chairman Rahul Asthana said.

From The Cargo Letter - August 13 2010 - Cause of The Loss?

The Aug. 7 collision between two ships off the Mumbai coast was caused by a clear violation of standard operating procedure prescribed for communication between ships as well as with port traffic controllers. Sources at the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) told The Indian Express that similar violations had taken place several times in the past as well but had luckily not resulted in any damage.

The Panama-registered M/V MSC Chitra collided with the St Kitts-registered M/V Khalijia III around 9.40 am on August 7 in clear weather. The Mumbai Port and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port have both been closed for operations since, as over 200 floating containers pose a navigational hazard for ships entering and leaving the channel. About 900 tons of oil that leaked out of M/V MSC Chitra has also polluted the waters and beaches in the area.

The Director-General of Shipping subsequently said the two ships were operating on different frequencies, Chitra on VHF 13 as she departed from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), and Khalijia on VHF 12 as she was approaching MbPT. The Vehicle Traffic Management System (VTMS), operated from a building in the MbPT area, also operates on VHF 12.

But sources said the communication gap arising out of the two ships operating on different radio frequencies is forbidden by navigational rules governing the piloting of ships in & out of the common channel shared by the two ports, among the country's busiest.

"JNPT pilots know, and have been reminded often, that although JNPT operates on VHF 13, they must switch over to VHF 12 while passing the common channel shared by both ports," said a source.

The preliminary probe by the police and port authorities has hinted that the captain of MV Khalijia 3 was more at fault than the captain of M/V MSC Chitra.

The police had taken videos of both the ships and also done on-the-spot inspection and found that Captain Laxman Dubey was more at fault. NN Kumar, the JNPT chairman, said there was no reason for M/V Khailijia 3 to change its course and M/V MSC Chitra was following its own course.

The captain of M/V MSC Chitra , Ranjit Martin Minguelinho has got anticipatory bail till August 18. The police has made it clear that though the offence has been registered against the captains and crew of both ships, they will soon decide whom to chargesheet.

Containers From M/V MSC Chitr Wash Ashore

From The Cargo Letter - August 14 2010 - Cause of The Loss?

Officials of M/V MSC Chitra said that bulk-carrier MV Khalija III had flouted navigation rules that led to the collision between the two vessels off Mumbai's port, resulting in the oil spill.

"From the data, it is apparent that M/V MSC Chitra was properly proceeding outbound, within the main navigation channel. Khalija III left its anchorage position and crossed the channel ahead of the M/V MSC Chitra at a distance of about 1.7 nautical miles. M/V MSC Chitra maintained her outbound course along the channel," said Captain N. Malhotra, spokesperson of the M/V MSC Chitra.

"Khalija III, after crossing the channel, turned sharply to port and re-entered the channel. This was less than two minutes to collision. On re-entering, M/V Khalija III continued to port contrary to rules of navigation and its bow, the front section of the ship, struck MSC Chitra ahead of the mid-ship area," he added.

Malhotra added that the Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS), a marine traffic monitoring system set up by the Mumbai Port Trust, also failed to alert the ships on time.

As a result of the oil spill from the containers that fell into the shipping channels, the operations at the Mumbai port and its neighbouring Jawaharlal Nehru Port have been closed.

Malhotra said that the clean-up operations are underway and the remaining containers will be rescued once the vessel is stabilized.

From The Cargo Letter - August 18 2010 - MSC Owners Told To Pay Up - Experts Finally Board Chitra

Port authorities have sent notices to the merchant vessel's owners, the Mediterranean Shipping Company, asking them to pay full compensation since they have been identified as "polluters". This compensation will run into crores of rupees.

It was M/V MSC Chitra 's tanks that caused the oil spill and the falling tankers caused both Mumbai Port and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to shut down.

The two ports have also expressed unhappiness over the salvage work and have warned M/V MSC Chitra 's company to accelerate the process.

So far both the ports haven't put any blame on MV Khalijia, the other ship, for footing the compensation. If investigations by DG Shipping show that M/V Khalija III was responsible, then MSC can claim it from Khalijia, but currently the "polluter" is MSC and it is hence liable to pay.

10 days after the collision, salvage experts finally have boarded the listing ship M/V MSC Chitra.

So far, in the past 10 days, the Indian Navy has helped pilot out 63 ships and escorted in 71 ships. According to officials, in normal times, an average of around 35 large ships, besides scores of smaller vessels, use the main shipping channel daily.

Meanwhile, nine more containers fell of the Panamanian ship,M/V MSC Chitra, which remains grounded. So far, the Navy and Coast Guard have succeeded in identifying six sunken containers near the main shipping channel and another eight floating at various other locations that have been marked to warn navigating vessels.

Salvers from SMIT International, Singapore, have done a thorough check of the deck and hold areas before attempting operations like removing the remaining oil on board or stabilizing the ship.

 

M/V MSC Chitra Has Become An Attraction Off Mumbai

From The Cargo Letter - August 21 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra - The Pheonix Shp - Back From The Dead?

MSC Shipmanagement is confident it can save the 30-year-old, 2,314-teu ccontainer vessel M/V MSC Chitra, which was left foundering off Mumbai following a collision with a bulker that has led to shipping's third-largest oil spill this year.

M/V MSC Chitra was left in a 45-degree list following the high-impact collision.

A spokesperson for its Hong Kong-based manager says assessment is still underway and the extent of the damage to the hull has not been fully evaluated. But he expects the vessel could be righted from the list and saved to continue trading. Specialist salavage company Smit has been given the job, although it is unclear if it is on a Lloyd's Open Form (LOF) basis. The ongoing Indian monsoon could yet hamper salvage operations.

The M/V MSC Chitra was hit on the port side by the 41,800-dwt bulker M/V Khalija III (built 1983) between its No 2 and No 3 cargo holds, piercing its fuel tanks.

MSC said in a statement that evidence from the M/V MSC Chitra 's black box suggested that the M/V Khalija III was at fault. It claimed the bulker had "unexpectedly turned toward port" resulting in the collision. "It would appear that under the rules of navigation, the M/V Khalija III was significantly at error." MSC also says the bulker had been grounded for three weeks and was under the control of salvors when the accident happened.

The M/V MSC Chitra was built in 1980, a long time before double-hull fuel tanks and other protective measures became mandatory for containerships under International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations.

The spill threatens to be one of the largest this year. Although the company is playing down local reports of a massive 800-ton spill, estimates suggest it is well in excess of the 50 tons originally reported. The fuel leak was plugged and clean-up operations involved some 11 offshore vessels employed locally.

Other major spills this year include some 1,400 tons lost from the 96,000-dwt M/V Eagle Otmoe (built 1994) after a collision at Port Arthur, Texas, and some 2,000 tons leaked from the 105,800-dwt M/V Bunga Kelana 3 (built 1998) following a collision off Singapore.

Two hundred containers out of 1,200 on board the M/V MSC Chitra have also been lost in the accident. Some of the cargo on board is thought to include pesticides and other hazardous chemicals, presenting a further danger to the environment.

The ship had run foul of port-state control (PSC) in the Tokyo region, being detained twice in 2008 &emdash; once in Wellington, New Zealand, and then again in Freemantle, Australia, where a total of 60 deficiencies were found. It was routinely inspected in the Tokyo MOU region after that but no further deficiencies were picked up that warrented detention.

However, M/V MSC Chitra is still ranked as "very high risk" under the Tokyo MOU.

While Teams Rush To Salvage M/V MSC Chitra Cargo - Oil Pollution Hits Mumbai Harbor

From The Cargo Letter - August 26 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra - Off Loading The Containers Planned

A barge has arrived from Dhabol port in Gujarat with equipment to start unloading containers from the deck of the beleagured Panamanian ship M/V MSC Chitra from Aug. 28, a maritime authority said Aug. 26.

The containers continue to be on the deck of the ship in a precarious condition.

The barge is being prepared with cranes and other equipment to position it near M/V MSC Chitra and start the work of unloading the deck of the containers.

The ongoing survey of the navigation channel by the Indian Navy has also revealed eight sunken containers, of which one is in the main channel. It has been marked and the concerned authorities have been advised to issue suitable navigational warnings to vessels sailing in the area.

The Navy has also completed the first round of survey of half of all accessible port waters, around 75 square kms, after the ship collision.

 M/V MSC Chitra Has Become An Attraction Off Mumbai

 COLLISION'S TOLL
# MPT and JNPT shut for 5 days

# 70 kms of mangrove struck

# Over 6,000 fishermen affected

# 98 containers retrieved ; 293 containers drifted

# Over 800 tonne oil spilled

LOSS IN BUSINESS

# JNPT lost '3 crore revenue per day; 2 lakh tonnes traffic lost per day

# MPT lost 1.5 lakh tonnes traffic lost per day

# Around $4 billion trade cargo impacted

# Indian exporters and importers lose US$20M

TIMELINE

Aug 7: MSC Chitra and Khailijia3 collide

Aug 23: Government hopes to clear the channel and make the sea navigable.

Aug 31: Directorate General Shipping to give its inquiry report.

CAUSE OF LOSS DETERMINED

An inquiry into the collisionseems to indicate that MV Khalijia III was at fault for violating navigational rules. The Directorate General of Shipping has concluded its investigation and is likely to submit its report in 10 days, a senior police officer who did not wish to be named told The Hindu newspaper.

"Khalijia flouted two basis rules. No ship will enter the channel that small unless it is clear. Secondly, even if it enters, it does so at a less threatening degree. This is categorised as a blunder," the official said.

So far, agencies have sent notices for claims to M/V MSC Chitra, as it is the polluting vessel. If Khalijia is found to be at fault, Chitra would be transferring the claims to Khalijia.

CHARTING A COURSE - A Video

Capt.D.K. Tewari of MSC Agency (India) talks about the collision and legal action his company plans to take.

From The Cargo Letter - Sept. 19 2010 - M/V MSC Chitra Emits Toxic Gas - Containers Still Aboard

At least 189 containers that were on board M/V MSC Chitra are missing, eight of which contain hazardous material. Of the eight containers, six had solid sodium hydroxide, one had organic pesticides and one had aluminum phosphate tablets, said the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC).

"These containers have gone overboard and are missing," said Captain Deepak Tiwari from MSC.

Officials from the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) said a team of specialised divers has been called to search for these missing containers, which may have sunk to the seabed and may be covered with a layer of sediment.

"None of these containers are in the main navigation channel so they do not affect port operations. They may be close to the vessel," a DGS source said.

M/V MSC Chitra was carrying 531 containers, of which 31 contained hazardous materials, and 3,300 tons of oil when the collision took place. To date, 111 containers have been removed and there are more than 200 containers still on the deck.

Operations are on to lift the containers off the ship, and it will take at least one month to retrieve all of them.

Tiwari said the company has spent more than Rs 45 crore on clean-up operations along the state's coastline. MSC officials also said they have paid Rs 1 crore as advance to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) for the initial clean-up operations and have to pay another Rs 2 crore.

Tiwari said the state environment department has directed them not to undertake clean-up operations of the damaged mangrove sites.

"The roots of the mangroves are not affected so they should be left alone so they can rejuvenate naturally. Carrying out cleaning operations will only damage them further," said an MPCB official.

Tiwari said MSC is awaiting the DGS report after which it will decide what action needs to be taken against the owners of M/V Khalijia-III.

Toxic Gas Emitions

M/V MSC Chitra has been emitting phosphine gas, a flammable, toxic gas, from its six holds for a while now. On Sept. 17, officials with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) measured the amount of emissions and said it was highly hazardous. The holds have been emitting between 2 parts per

million (ppm) to 20 ppm of phosphine gas since M/V MSC Chitra the collisionoff the Mumbai coast on August 7.

Prior to this, the phosphine level emissions noted have been between 0.1 ppm and 9.0 ppm across the deck of M/V MSC Chitra.

MPCB officials said there is no permissible limit on how much of this gas emission is acceptable because under normal circumstances, there should be no trace of this gas.

Officials said that a larger quantity of the toxic gas, which is both odourless and colourless, has been leaking for some time now, but the levels recorded on Sept. 17 are alarming. "Of the six holds, phoshine gas between 2 ppm and 20 ppm is being emitted from hold number 2 and number 4," said an MPCB official, requesting anonymity.

Phosphine levels between 0.05 ppm and 2 ppm have also been noted on the crane barge, Kuber, which has been positioned near M/V MSC Chitra to help assist in the salvage operations.

Senior officials from the DGS said the source of the gas could be the containers that have aluminium phosphide, which when mixed with water releases phosphine gas and aluminum hydroxide.

"This gas will hamper salvage operations as until the gas emission stops completely, the containers in the hold cannot be removed," said a DGS official.

B.D. Wadde, regional officer, MPCB, said the gas is extremely toxic and if inhaled can lead to severe health hazards. Overexposure to phosphine gas can lead to nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, chest tightness and breathing difficulty. "But the salvers who are carrying out the operations are well-equipped with masks and other gear so it will not affect operations," he said.

Editor Note:

We plan to stay with this sad story, as the history of M/V MSC Chitra winds down.
McD


Shippers Must Have Quality Marine Cargo Insurance ........ Because......... "Ship Happens! ©"

To Repeat -- No Matter How Careful You Are -- Or Who You Hire ....... "Ship Happens! ©"

Get Your "Ship Happens! ©" Gear!

Visit The Cargo Law Ship's Store For Great Industry Gift Ideas!


The Dedication of This Feature Is Simple: To The Crew of MV MSC Chintra & her familes.


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by air & sae continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker

It's very dangerous out there.


INDEX TO OUR "Mumbai Departure" PAGE SPECIAL FEATURES:

Important Links To Our Feature:
Troubled History For M/V MSC Chinra

M/V MSC Chinra Disaster Video


Some of Our Fire At Sea Features:

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006

M/T Vicuna Explodes - for Jan. 2005

"T-E-U Bar-Be-Cue" - aftermath of the M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania Loss - Nov. 2002

"Thar She Blows!" - M/V Hanjin Pennsylvania - Nov. 2002

"Meals: Ready To Explode" - Navy Barbecue at Guam June 2001

And ..... "Fighting Fires On Mars" - Jan. 2008

Our Daily Vessel Casualties - stay informed

"Singles Only" - visit our individual moments of transport crisis for more.

The Greatest Container Losses Of All Time - these are the grand fathers -

M/V OOCL America

M/V APL China

M/V APL Panama - The EPIC

"Great Misfortune"- M/V Hyundai Fortune - March 2006


SPECIAL NOTE: The historic dangers of carriage by sea continue to be quite real. Shippers must be encouraged to purchase high quality marine cargo insurance from their freight forwarder or customs broker. 

It's very dangerous out there.


Thanks To Our Contributors For The "Mumbai Departure" Feature

Our Contributors for this feature are:
Jon Godsell

Hilde Krause - Roakoake Trade Insurance Services, San Francisco

Warren Levine

Christoph Whaner of Countryman & McDaniel

The Cargo Letter appreciates the continuing efforts of these valued contributors.


NOTE: Please Provide Us With Your Additional Information For This Loss.


EDITOR'S NOTE FOR SURVEYORS, ATTORNEYS & MARINE ADJUSTERS: The Internet edition effort of The Cargo Letter now celebrates it's 8th Year of Service -- making us quite senior in this segment of the industry. We once estimated container underway losses at about 1,500 per year. Lloyd's put that figure at about 10,000 earlier this year. Quite obviously, the reporting mechanism for these massive losses is not supported by the lines. News of these events is not posted to the maritime community. Our new project is to call upon you -- those handling the claims -- to let us know of each container loss at sea-- in confidentiality. Many of you survey on behalf of cargo interests with no need for confidentiality. Others work for the lines & need to be protected. As a respected Int'l publication, The Cargo Letter enjoys full press privileges & cannot be forced to disclose our sources of information. No successful attempt has ever been made. If a personal notation for your report is desired -- each contributor will be given a "hot link" to your company Website in each & every report. Please take moment & report your "overside" containers to us. If you do not wish attribution, your entry will be "anonymous." This will will benefit our industry -- for obvious reasons! McD


* NOTE: The Cargo Letter wants you to know that by keeping the identity of our contributors 100% Confidential, you are able to view our continuing series of "Cargo Disasters." Our friends send us materials which benefit the industry. The materials are provided to our news publication with complete and enforceable confidentiality for the sender. In turn, we provide these materials to you.  

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