Cruise liners dropping off Indian crew members from all over the world aided by fully operational port in big repatriation on the high seas
Continuing record performance of providing safe & secure homeward
passage for Indian seafarers through Mumbai Port, MBPT achieved rare feet of
simultaneous sign-off of 912 crew from Cruise ship ‘Anthem of Seas’ and signon of equal number on another cruise ship ‘Celebrity Infinity’ in a single day
on June 16, 2020 with advance planning of port, various government
authorities and the shipping agent.
Well, it all began with Royal Caribbean’s ‘Celebrity Infinity’ taking berth
at BPX to disembark 910 Indian crew on June 15, 2020. The operation ended
by the evening and next Indian port of call was Goa.
Another vessel ‘Anthem of the Sea’ was already at the inner anchorage
waiting to get alongside at OCT berth due to its mammoth size. Anthem had
approx. 3000 odd Indian Crew to disembark and out of which 912 crew were
for Goa & supposed to travel by road which was a challenge in this lockdown.
Moreover, Anthem wasn’t scheduled to call Goa Cruise berth due to its size.
So, it was decided by all agencies that 912 Indian Crew destined for Goa to be
shifted to ‘Celebrity Infinity’.
Berthing & operations required to be well synchronized to achieve this
mammoth task in short 8 hours.
All necessary arrangements were pre-planned and CUSTOMS
/IMMIGRATION procedures were completed at BPX terminal. 912 Indian crew
de-boarded (Sign-off) ‘Anthems of Sea’ at OCT and boarded (Sign-on) ‘Celebrity
Infinity’ at BPX which will sail to Goa to de-board these 912 Indian Crew.
Over all 1822 sign- off and 914 sign-on (Total: 2736) were achieved
in two days flat i.e. on 15th & 16th June 2020.
