Visakhapatnam: After being isolated off shore of the Bay of Bengal for more than two days, the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) allowed the Chinese vessel ‘Fortune Hero’ to berth at the port on Saturday.
According to a senior port official, the master of the cargo ship had sent a declaration to port authorities on Friday stating that none of the 22 people on board were infected with coronavirus.
Subsequently, a senior health official from VPT went into the ship to conduct health checks after which the ship was allowed to berth, the officials informed.
However, crew members will not be allowed to disembark from the vessel.
Fortune Hero— the bulk carrier vessel— reached Visakhapatnam from China on midnight Wednesday. The vessel was carrying pet coke in bulk and had 22 crew members on board, including 17 Chinese and 5 Burmese nationals.
Although the ship had booked a berth well in advance, it was not allowed to berth as it had arrived from China within 14 days.
As per the protocol in place owing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), ships coming in from affected countries like China, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore would only be allowed to disembark passengers or unload cargo if the vessel has travelled for more than 15 days and all crew members are fit.
The health official who went into the ship to conduct health checks on members of the crew of Fortune Hero wore a fully-protective cover and was equipped with a thermal gun as well as other devices to test for coronavirus infection.
The official examined the people on board and certified that the people were not suffering from coronavirus. Consequently, the ship was allowed to unload cargo.
According to a senior port official, the master of the cargo ship had sent a declaration to port authorities on Friday stating that none of the 22 people on board were infected with coronavirus.
Subsequently, a senior health official from VPT went into the ship to conduct health checks after which the ship was allowed to berth, the officials informed.
However, crew members will not be allowed to disembark from the vessel.
Fortune Hero— the bulk carrier vessel— reached Visakhapatnam from China on midnight Wednesday. The vessel was carrying pet coke in bulk and had 22 crew members on board, including 17 Chinese and 5 Burmese nationals.
Although the ship had booked a berth well in advance, it was not allowed to berth as it had arrived from China within 14 days.
As per the protocol in place owing to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), ships coming in from affected countries like China, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore would only be allowed to disembark passengers or unload cargo if the vessel has travelled for more than 15 days and all crew members are fit.
The health official who went into the ship to conduct health checks on members of the crew of Fortune Hero wore a fully-protective cover and was equipped with a thermal gun as well as other devices to test for coronavirus infection.
The official examined the people on board and certified that the people were not suffering from coronavirus. Consequently, the ship was allowed to unload cargo.
