PANAJI: Goa has sought the assistance of the Centrally administered National Institute of Shipbuilding and Designs (NISD) to study the process of re-tendering for the removal of M.V. River Princess, the dilapidated vessel that has been grounded off the famous Sinquerim tourist beach in North Goa's coast for over five years.

Five years after it ran aground at the famous Calangute Beach Belt in North Goa, "River Princess" — an ore carrier — continues to endanger tourism and is an eyesore on the beautiful beach.

The erstwhile State Government, which took possession of the vessel after a prolonged legal battle, had awarded the work of re-floating and towing away of the vessel to a United Kingdom-based company in January last.

Deadline was 110 days

As per the tender agreement, the work should have been completed within 110 days, that is, before the onset of the monsoon this year.

The company — Crosschem International — had to tow away the ship and was at liberty to dispose it. In return, the Government would get Rs. 85.41 lakhs. However, while the Government in the State changed, the vessel continued to be where it was.

New tender

Wilfred de Souza, Deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the Tourism portfolio, assured Members in the Assembly during budgetary demands on Tourism that the NISD officials would study and submit a report by next month to float new tenders for the removal of the vessel.

He said he had already obtained the legal opinion from the Advocate-General of the State, stating that the tenders awarded to Crosschem International should be scrapped and a new tender invited by the Government.

Global tenders were invited in June 2004 for the removal of the vessel.

Ship drifted away

River Princess was chartered by the iron ore mining company of M/s Salgaoncar Mining Industries Pvt. Ltd., and was anchored near the Mormugao Port. It drifted away during the torrential rains on the night of June 6, 2000 and ran aground near the Sinquerim beach, part of the Calangute Beach belt.

Three successive governments tried to get it removed, but in vain. When the then Parrikar Government initiated the process, M/s Salgaoncar approached the court. Finally, the Government enacted the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act 2001 to acquire the vessel.

Protests

The vessel's continued existence drew strong protests from local residents, environmentalists and Opposition parties.

A study by the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, had indicated that oil spillage from the grounded vessel had polluted the marine environment around the vessel.

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