logo
Security of ships, ports enhanced

Security of ships, ports enhanced

Mumbai, May 9 (UNI) In the wake of the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the Mumbai-headquartered Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has enhanced security arrangements at all ports, terminals, shipyards and ships.
Following the directive, security arrangements of the coastal area in Mumbai was reviewed by the deputy commissioner of police port zone.
Heavy police bandobast was deployed out side JNPT port at Panvel , Sasoon dock , Bhav Ka Dhaka, Indira Dock and Yellow Gate.
The Director General, DGCA has asked all the chief information security officer of all port facilities to review the security of IT and communications systems and take appropriate measures to prevent/mitigate the threats of cyberattacks.
The security system has been enhanced from MARSEC Level-1 to MARSEC Level-2 with immediate effect.
'This directive is issued in the interest of national maritime security and must be treated with utmost urgency und priority. Strict compliance is expected, and any breach will be viewed very seriously,' said Captain Nitin Mukesh, deputy nautical Advisor-cum senior DDG (tech) said in an advisory.
The advisory was posted by All India Seafarers Union (AISU) in its social media platform.
'In light of recent developments and growing concerns regarding potential threats to the Indian coast, ports, terminals, and vessels will emphasize the necessity of implementing additional protective measures during periods of heightened security risk,' the order said.
All ports, terminals, and shipyards have been asked to implement heightened maritime security measures, including elevation to International Ship and Port Facility Security Code -- ISPS Security Level 2 -- with immediate effect.
All Indian flagged vessel operating in and near the India sub-continent and neighboring countries are required to elevate the security Level to 2 and implement the applicable security measures as per Ship Security Plan (SSP).
UNI AAA PRS
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Pakistan's sleep is still disturbed; the scale of destruction was immense: PM Modi on Op Sindoor
Pakistan's sleep is still disturbed; the scale of destruction was immense: PM Modi on Op Sindoor

Hans India

time10 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Pakistan's sleep is still disturbed; the scale of destruction was immense: PM Modi on Op Sindoor

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Operation Sindoor has disturbed Pakistan's sleep, and the devastation there was so massive that new revelations are emerging every day. He said this during his address from the ramparts of the Red Fort on Friday, adding that India will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail and if the enemy dares to commit any more misadventure, the Indian Armed Forces will give them a befitting reply. 'India will no longer tolerate nuclear blackmail. If the enemy dares to commit any more misadventure, the Indian Armed Forces will give them a befitting reply. India has decided that blood and water will not flow together,' he said. He said that this August 15 has a special significance. 'Today, I got the opportunity to salute the brave soldiers of Operation Sindoor from the ramparts of the Red Fort. Our brave, valiant soldiers have given the enemies a punishment beyond their imagination.' PM Modi said that the Armed Forces were given a free hand, and they produced remarkable results. 'We gave our Armed Forces a free hand, allowing them to strategise, set the target, and decide the timing. Our forces set a precedent unseen for many decades. They attacked hundreds of kilometres into enemy territory and turned terrorist headquarters to dust," he said. 'Pakistan's sleep is still disturbed. The devastation in Pakistan has been so massive that new revelations are emerging every day, and new information is coming to light,' he said. 'I am proud that today, I got the opportunity to salute the brave soldiers of Operation Sindoor from the Red Fort. Our brave soldiers gave the enemies a fitting reply, beyond their imagination. Every Indian was angered by the horrors perpetrated by terrorists in Pahalgam. Operation Sindoor is the expression of that very anger,' the PM said. PM Modi said that India has been bearing the pain of terrorism for many decades. 'We have now set a new normal. Terrorists and those who shelter them will not be seen separately. They are an equal danger to humanity with no difference,' the PM said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag and addressed the nation from the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort in the national capital. He said this great festival of freedom is a festival of 140 crore resolutions. 'This festival of freedom is a moment of pride in collective achievements. Every heart is filled with enthusiasm. The nation is continuously strengthening the spirit of unity, he said in his much-awaited address.

No pause on Russian oil imports, India continues imports based on economic rationale
No pause on Russian oil imports, India continues imports based on economic rationale

Time of India

time10 minutes ago

  • Time of India

No pause on Russian oil imports, India continues imports based on economic rationale

India has not halted oil purchases from Russia in response to the US President's tariff threat and continues to buy based solely on economic considerations, said AS Sahney, Chairman of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the country's largest oil firm. Purchase volumes may fluctuate monthly based on the discounts offered on Russian crude grades like Urals. While discounts had previously reached as high as $ 40 per barrel, they have narrowed to just $ 1.5 late last month, resulting in reduced offtake. Discounts have since widened to about $ 2.70. However, India's intent to continue buying Russian oil remains unchanged. India became the largest customer of Russian oil from 2022, after western countries shunned Russian oil and imposed sanctions on Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine. Sahney said refiners like IOC buy crude oil from Russia purely on economic consideration and have not been asked to cut or boost purchase in response to US tariffs, he said. "There is no pause," he said. Russian oil has continued to flow to Indian refiners in July as well as this month. "We continue to buy, purely based on economic considerations, that is to say if the pricing and characteristics of the crude make sense in our scheme of processing, we buy," he told reporters here. "No special effort is being made to either increase or decrease (the import volumes). We are buying crude as per economic considerations," he said. Imports from Russia made up for 22-23 per cent of all the crude oil that IOC refineries processed in the April-June period. US President Donald Trump last week announced an additional 25 per cent tariff on US imports from India -- raising the overall duty to 50 per cent -- as a penalty for the country's continued imports of Russian oil. Since the steep tariffs are likely to hit the $ 40 billion of non-exempt exports that India does to the US, there has been chatter around stopping or curtailing oil imports from Russia. "There are no sanctions on Russian crude," he said. "India has not done anything that violates any sanctions". Separately, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) Director (Finance) Vetsa Ramakrishna Gupta on an investor call said the discounts have narrowed to $ 1.5 per barrel, and led to lower imports last month. In the first quarter, Russian oil made up 34 per cent of BPCL's crude intake and the company hopes to return to a 30-35 per cent ratio as long as there are no sanctions, he said. Before February 2022, Russian crude oil accounted for less than 1 per cent of India's total oil imports. However, after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, western nations shunned Russian energy, leading to Russian crude being available at discounted rates compared to global benchmarks. Seizing the economic opportunity, India ramped up its purchases, significantly increasing its reliance on Russian oil to meet domestic energy needs. Russian crude oil now meets 30 per cent of the requirement. Sahney said at no time was import of crude oil from Russia sanctioned and so India continued to purchase keeping in mind economic considerations. "Such purchases will continue unless sanctions are imposed," he said. "We have not got any instruction (from the government) to either increase or decrease purchase. We are doing business as usual." About talk of refiners being asked to increase purchases from the US in a bid to placate Trump, IOC Chairman said, "Neither are we being told to buy more nor are we told to buy less from US or any other destination. Economic considerations dictate our actions."

Discounts dip but Economics keep Russian oil flowing to India
Discounts dip but Economics keep Russian oil flowing to India

Time of India

time10 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Discounts dip but Economics keep Russian oil flowing to India

NEW DELHI: The flow of Russian crude to India remains unabated in spite of discounts shrinking to $1.5-2 per barrel as market factors and input requirement continue to drive refiners' choice in the absence of any govt directive for or against those imports amid US and European Union (EU) pressure. 'We are buying crude as per the economics. We are not making any extra effort for either increasing or decreasing Russian crude (purchase)," IndianOil chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said on Thursday. Coming from the head of India's largest state-run refiner and a major buyer of Russian crude, the statement can be construed as an indication the govt remains undaunted by western pressure against purchase of those barrels. Govt sources said a team of officials from the external and commerce ministries is set to visit Russia for further discussion on a Rupee-Rouble trade, something both countries have been pursuing for years. Several cargoes of Russian crude was delivered to western ports last week, contrary to foreign media reports of India pausing purchase of Russian oil. Describing those reports as 'wrong', Sahney pointed out that Russian oil was not sanctioned like Iranian or Venezuelan crude but is only subject to a price cap. He said the US had set the price cap at $60/barrel, among other curbs, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EU's latest curbs has lowered the cap to $47 (at current oil prices). There is no curb on buying Russian oil within these conditions. Sahney said buying (clean) Russian oil even at small discounts could make sense for refiners if the yield patten of that particular grade suits the production plan at a given point. 'If the pricing and characteristics of the crude suits our scheme of processing, we buy,' he said explaining the monthly variations in the quantity of imports from Russia or the US. Separately, executives of other refining companies said the wind-down provisions in the US penalty on New Delhi allow import of Russian crude loaded upto seven days from the order, after which the 25% additional tariff will be imposed on Indian goods exports. 'We will continue to import Russian oil but will not violate the sanctions,' an executive of major refining company said requesting that neither he nor his company be identified.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store