T’puram: A crew change and spare parts supply were carried out at the outer anchorage of Vizhinjam on Tuesday.This time, the Curacao-flagged crude oil tanker Atlantis I that was sailing from Singapore to Khor Fakkan Port in the UAE had an engine failure when it was near the Indian coast.As the engine failed, the ship transmitted the information to the authorities who directed Kerala Maritime Board officials of the minor port to carry out assistance.Staff of Waterline Shipping, a company specialising in crew changes and emergency assistance, travelled by boat to the ship at the outer anchorage and supplied essential spare parts, helping complete the repairs.As the ship was being repaired, two Indian nationals signed on and two signed out.The men joining the ship were taken from the harbour and transferred from the boat to the vessel in a dangling basket hoisted by a crane.This is the second crew change involving Indian nationals at the port after permission was given for outer anchorage operations, said an official.The first crew change at Vizhinjam after the pandemic was carried out in the last week of Oct, marking the port’s emergence as a hub for replacing crew members who had completed their duties with new batches.Vizhinjam served as a crew-change hub during the Covid-19 pandemic, facilitating seafarer movement when several ports restricted such operations. The facility was later discontinued amid security concerns and regulatory restrictions. Recent approvals for crew changes at the outer anchorage are expected to revive the port’s role.
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