Ctg port video surveillance project shelved

Tk 2 crore project was taken last year in a bid to monitor the ship movement and other activities at the outer anchorage of Chittagong port. The 'vessel traffic video surveillance system' was supposed to be installed at the estuary of the river Karnaphuli from where whole of the outer anchorage could be monitored, port sources said.

"I don't find any reason for not implementing such a project," a senior port official said on condition of anonymity. Most of the regional ports including Singapore have installed sophisticated surveillance system long ago,he added.

He said it was aimed at ensuring modern maritime monitoring facilities, combating piracy and smuggling, averting accidents at the port channel and outer anchorage and checking revenue leakage.

With the introduction of the surveillance system, it will be easy for us to monitor ship arrival and departure, to avert accidents and take quick action during piracy, he said. It will also help check revenue leakage, he added.

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) sometimes receives misleading report about arrival of ships and their stay at the outer anchorage. As a result, the CPA loses revenues if the correct picture on arrival and stay of the ships is not available, sources said.

Ship movements are now monitored with 'VHF operation' from radio control which is not so dependable.

An Indonesian flag carrier ship was detained recently at the outer anchorage following an admiralty suit filed with the court by a private company for non-payment of dues. But the ship was able to flee without taking any port clearance, port officials said.

As there was no vessel traffic video surveillance system at Chittagong port, the ship could not be traced at the time of fleeing, they said.

CPA then sent messages to the regional ports about the fleeing vessel.

On many other occasions, the port authority could not take action timely in such a situation, sources said.

In the first phase of the project, one video camera was supposed to be installed at Patenga and another near the lighthouse to cover outer anchorage.

Later, in the second phase three more cameras were supposed to be procured to monitor the entire port areas including jetties.