SMP Kolkata suspends shipping and port operations amid threat of ‘Cyclone Dana’

KOLKATA : In the wake of Cyclone ‘Dana’, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata took several preventive measures including securing the vessels and barges.

Shri Shantanu Thakur, Union Minister of State, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, conducted a review meeting with Kolkata Port stakeholders on Thursday in the wake of Cyclone ‘Dana’. Shipping and port operations were temporarily suspended from October 24 morning and will remain so until the cyclone subsides.

Other key measures taken include activating control rooms at both Kolkata Dock System (KDS) and Haldia Dock Complex (HDC). These are being manned by port officials to monitor the situation closely.

All vessels were safely taken inside docks or securely moored at anchorages or jetties. Additional moorings were applied to ships inside the docks while all barges, including Bangladeshi barges, were advised to anchor securely outside the shipping channel.

The booms of cranes to be lowered before the storm’s onset and container stacking within the docks were limited to two tiers to minimise risks. SMPK activated all communication systems to ensure seamless coordination during the storm.

Adequate number of payloaders, tree-trimming machines, generator sets and water draining pumps were placed in standby mode. Rescue workers were mobilised across critical areas, and fire tenders and ambulances were positioned at key operational points. Debris cleaning was done to prevent water logging while all cargo shed gates were secured.