ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Maritime Affairs has directed the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) management to pursue the court case against the Vessel Company M.T “Tasman Spirit” vigorously and the update position regarding the losses should be reported.
It is important to mention here that the vessel M.T. Tasman Spirit, while entering Karachi Port laden with fuel oil, grounded near the entrance to Karachi harbour and thereafter broke into two cases of spilling which caused loss to Karachi Port Trust.
The management of Karachi Port Trust filed a case of damages of Rs102,649 million in the court and after many hearings, the suite is still pending. Karachi Port Trust has demanded charges of Rs12,890 million as damage to KPT property i.e. off shore clean in, beach cleaning including removal of oily sand, dumping of oily sand and capping, removal of polluted sediments from back water areas and re-growing mangroves and other plants, disposal of dredging spoil from harbor and damages to marine structure.
Likewise, Defense Officers Housing Authority, Fisheries department, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works, Environment Protection Agency, Pakistan Navy and citizen claimed Rs68,738. In the head of economic and consequential loss, KPT management claimed Rs10,961 million.
