2 Navi Mumbai shipping agents under DRI surveillance over lack of information in Wan Hai 503 cargo

KOCHI : The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has placed two shipping agents operating at the Nhava Sheva Port in Navi Mumbai under close surveillance in connection with the investigation into the cargo aboard MV Wan Hai 503, a Singapore-flagged container ship that caught fire in the Arabian Sea following a mid-sea explosion.

Of the 1,754 containers listed on board, 157 were declared as carrying hazardous goods based on data submitted by shipping agencies in line with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code. However, the contents of the remaining 1,597 containers–labelled as ‘general cargo’–were found to be vaguely described, raising concerns even within the shipping company.

Suspecting that some containers may have been misdeclared to evade scrutiny or taxes, the DRI has zeroed in on two shipping agents linked to the consignment. Reports suggest the two may currently be in custody, although there is no official confirmation yet.

Wan Hai Lines had previously issued a warning to all shipping agencies, stressing that false cargo declarations would attract severe penalties. According to company policy, the fine for undeclared hazardous goods is $30,000 (approximately ₹26 lakh) per container, while the penalty for misdeclaring non-hazardous cargo is $20,000 (around ₹17 lakh).

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities focusing on whether any of the misdeclared cargo contributed to the explosion and fire aboard the vessel.