No casualty, oil spill as two ships collide at Kamarajar Port in Ennore

Chennai: Two ships, one carrying lubricant oil and the other LPG, collided in the outer area of Kamarajar Port in Ennore near here in the early hours of Saturday, but there was no casualty or any oil spill in the sea.

The minor incident took place at 4 am when ‘M.T. BW Maple’, leaving the port, and ‘M.T. DAWN Kanchipuram’, entering the port, collided. While the latter was leaving the port after emptying Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), the former was loaded with petroleum oil lubricant.

“There is no damage to the environment like oil pollution and also there is no casualty or injury to persons. Both vessels are safely afloat and anchored,” a senior official of the Kamarajar Port said.

Though initial reports said there was oil spillage in the seas, the senior official clarified there was no oil spill and that the incident was “minor”.

The official said the extents of damage to the vessels are under assessment and that top officials of port closely monitoring and the situation has been brought under control.

“An inquiry has been ordered to find the cause of accident. All other ship movements are normal,” the official said. Kamarajar Port Ltd, is the 12th major port in the country. It is the only corporatised major port and is registered as a company with the Centre holding 68 per cent stake, while the Chennai Port Trust holds the remaining 32 per cent.