Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (MS)

Mangaluru, Dec 14: The first vessel carrying goods will sail from the Old Port in the city to Maldives on Monday December 14.

The vessel is carrying powdered coconut shells to be used as manure in farms, vegetables and fruits. The loading was done on Sunday, December 13 using cranes.

The vessel is led by Captain Kannan. Kathorayan, Haridas, Sagayam, Srinivasan and Vignesh are the staff on the vessel sailing for the first time. This vessel by the name 'MSV Noor A Al Kadari', belonging to Kadambathkar of Lakshadweep is hired by Charandas V Karkera for transporting goods.

Charandas says, "We have taken this vessel on hire for Rs five lac a month. It will make two trips in a month. The vessel will leave on Monday, during high tide and reach Maldives in four to five days. After unloading the goods, it will return to Old Port of Mangaluru. This is a new adventure for me."

"Though a vessel sailed to Maldives last year from the Old Port, it did not reach the destination. The goods on that vessel sunk in the sea. This year the vessel was to sail in the month of October. But due to Covid and other reasons, it got delayed. The vessel is carrying around 200 tonnes of cargo," says loaders Ibrahim and Sattar of Mallur.