Pakistan Ship Agents Association & Stevedoring Conference have strongly refuted accusation that foreign flag carrier laden with imported Soybean cargo at Karachi Port has spread injurious gas during offloading of cargo that caused death of fourteen people and scores of people were affected near port area of Keamari. In fact, the first casualty was reported before the start of discharging of cargo at port, claimed by representative body of ship agents in Pakistan and urged that vessel should not be moved from Karachi Port.
According to Karachi Port Trust (KPT) bulk carrier Hercules, has so far off loaded 3395 tonnes out of 61,605 tonnes and further offloading has been suspended from last 24 hours. It is yet to be ascertained, whether the injurious gas was leaked from the terminals storing crude oil and petroleum products around port or allegedly during the offloading of Soya bean meal at the port.
Mr. Tariq Haleem, former Chairman, Pakistan Ship Agents Association & Vice President of Pakistan Stevedoring Conference in a statement said, “We strongly condemn the rumors that are circulating targeting Soybean cargo which was being discharged partly at Karachi Port Trust at berth no. 10/11 east wharf”.
He pointed out that it may be noted that cargo was discharged only during night of Sunday 16th February, 2020 (discharging commenced at 19:00 hours) and day of Monday 17th February, 2020 (discharging stopped at about 22:00 hours). Total of more than 600 labor worked on the ship none of them have been affected.
Clarifying that discharging of soybean does not create environmental issue and injurious to health, he remarked that this cargo has been arriving at Karachi Port since the last many years and up till now not a single incident has occurred or has been reported. When the cargo was being discharged the wind direction was North East (NE) which means that it was towards Manora direction not towards land.
He said “We wish to also point out that the first person who was hospitalized was before the ship commenced discharging. Ship Agents Association and Stevedoring Conference strongly advise that we should try and investigate the true nature of this incident considering the ground realities rather than getting involved in rumor mongering or speculation”.
This cargo is used to make edible oil i.e. it is an agricultural commodity and does not have chemicals in it. Plant Protection department visited the ship on 18th February, 2020 with gas detectors to check for any harmful or toxic gases. No gases were detected. He requested that this ship should not be shifted and cargo should be discharged at Karachi Port only.