Port Blair, Aug 8: The passenger shipping services provided by A&N Administration predominantly plays pivotal role, in passenger transshipment as well as towards transshipment of essential commodities/produces, to the far flung Inhabited Islands in the archipelago of A&N Islands.

The cargo enabled passenger vessels of A&N Administration, although, carries various agricultural and fisheries products from the local farmers/traders to Port Blair, however, these vessels were completely barred from transhipment of Copra as the product falls under the category of dangerous cargo. Whereas, the tribal and other habitant community of Nancowry and Great Nicobar Island are almost entirely dependent on exports of Copra as this cash crop is reported to be their main source of their income. Due to non-availability of suitable mode for transhipment, the farmers/ tribal community are compelled to bear heavy loss for not being able to sell their Copra product suitably in Port Blair/ Mainland markets.

In view of the above difficulties being faced by the farmers and tribal communities towards transportation of their Copra products from their respective Islands to Port Blair/Mainland, the Directorate of Shipping Services, under the guidance of Chief Secretary has taken up a case with DG Shipping for grant of necessary permission to carry Copra Products through their passenger vessels.  Since ‘Copra’ falls under the category of IMDG Cargo thus required modifications and arrangements were made onboard Sindhu/ Nalanda so that the safety aspect should not be compromised.

The Directorate of Shipping Services, with its unwavering dedication to the highest standards of safety and compliances, has diligently worked towards securing the necessary license which has been received from the Statutory Authority to carry Copra in package form in freight containers in open deck on top the existing cargo hold of the vessel Sindhu/ Nalanda.

This will open up an avenue of business opportunities for the farmers/ tribals of southern group of Island. The DSS has assured the public that every measure has been taken to ensure that the transportation of Copra products onboard Nalanda & Sindhu will be carried out with the utmost care, adhering to all safety protocols and regulations.

The vessel Sindhu/ Nalanda have the facility to carry Refer Container as well as Refrigerated Cargo space of 15 Tons capacity with temperature of minus 15-180 C which can also be utilized for transportation of Fish.

Now, to facilitate the farmers of Southern Group of Islands, 4 containers have been dispatched through Nalanda on Aug 8, 2023 from Port Blair for carrying Copra product on her return voyage from Campbell Bay on 10.08.2023.