The Department of Shipping has directed the Water Transport Cell (WTC) not to allot ships that do not have bay crossing approval. The Department of Shipping gave this instruction on 19 July.
From the outer anchorage area of Chittagong port, goods are unloaded from large ships and transported to remote areas of the country by comparatively small ships (lighter vessels). The Water Transport Cell determines the schedule of these ships and allots them. It is mandatory for ships to have bay crossing approval (the capability to travel on the seas) as per the directive of the Department. There are allegations that many unlicensed ships are transporting goods.
In several recent shipping accidents, the importers or owners of damaged goods have not received compensation due to the non-authorisation of bay crossings. Because insurance companies refuse to pay claims when cargo ships that are involved in accidents are not authorised for bay crossing. Businessmen are being affected by this.
The directive makes it an offense to allot a ship without bay crossing approval.
