Latest news with #ManojNair
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
17 containers removed from Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram coasts
T'puram: Around 17 containers washed ashore after Liberian cargo vessel MSC ELSA 3 capsized off Kochi on May 25 were removed from the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram coasts. Work is ongoing to remove the rest. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As many as 54 containers were washed ashore from Alappuzha to Thiruvananthapuram after the ship sank off Alappuzha. Soon after the disaster, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) appointed a firm, Waterline Shipping, to remove the containers as an immediate measure to prevent dangerous cargo from being washed ashore and causing contamination. Manoj Nair of Waterline Shipping said, "We removed 17 containers, 13 from Kollam and four from Thiruvananthapuram, from May 26 to 29. That was the initial response. We employed 15 supervisor teams and eight divers. The local fishermen were also roped in because they know the coast and the behaviour of the sea." Sources said that another firm, appointed by DG Shipping, took over from May 30 to clear the containers in the rest of the stretch and to save the coast from pollution. Most of the containers washed ashore were empty, but plastic pellets came off sacks and swamped the coast in many areas, including Kovalam. There is criticism that manual cleaning of the pellets is slow. Meanwhile, a company was also appointed to salvage the containers that sank along with the ship. Around 13 containers contain calcium carbide, which is harmful. Attempts may also be made to salvage the wreck of the ship. The 28-year-old ship, used as a feeder vessel to move containers brought by mother ships at Colombo and Vizhijam, started listing on May 24 and sank the next day. The ship carried 643 containers.
New Indian Express
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- New Indian Express
UAE-bound vessel MV Sirrah resumes voyage following emergency repairs
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A UAE-bound cargo vessel stranded off the coast of Vizhinjam managed to set sail just hours before the Coast Guard's deadline on Monday. The bulk carrier MV Sirrah, registered under the flag of St. Kitts & Nevis, departed for Khorfakkan Port in the UAE at 2.30 am on Monday. Its departure was made possible after a critical 900-kg engine compressor was sourced from Mumbai and delivered with the support of Waterline Shipping & Logistics Pvt. Ltd., a Thiruvananthapuram-based shipping agency, in coordination with the Kerala Maritime Board. The vessel, which had originally set off from Chennai, encountered technical issues and was forced to anchor about seven nautical miles from Vizhinjam port. 'The ship's owners acted swiftly to procure the required spare parts, but due to the prevailing war-like situation, the transport vehicle carrying the equipment was delayed at multiple checkpoints for security inspections,' said Manoj Nair, managing director and CEO of Waterline Shipping & Logistics Pvt. Ltd. Once cleared by Customs, the spare parts were ferried to the vessel using Dhwani, a tug operated by the Kerala Maritime Board.
The Hindu
11-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Spares transferred to bulk carrier stranded off Vizhinjam
Spare parts were finally transferred on Sunday morning to a bulk carrier that has been stranded off Vizhinjam since May 7 due to engine trouble. A Kerala Maritime Board tug successfully transferred the spares to MV Sirrah, which was awaiting them at the outer anchorage at Vizhinjam. The entire operation was coordinated by Thiruvananthapuram-based shipping agency, Waterline Shipping and Logistics Pvt. Ltd., appointed by the vessel's owners. Captain Anwar Gammal, Master of MV Sirrah, had stated that the vessel would depart the anchorage within four to six hours of rectifying the defect, Manoj Nair, chief executive officer, Waterline Shipping and Logistics Pvt. Ltd., said in a statement. MV Sirrah, which has several Indian crew on board, had encountered engine trouble on its way from Chennai to the United Arab Emirates. It contacted the Vizhinjam port authorities on the matter on May 7. To restore operational capability, essential engine spares were urgently required. The owners of the vessel had arranged for the spares to be transported to Vizhinjam, but the vehicle was delayed at check points. In the meantime, the Coast Guard had boarded the vessel and carried out an inspection given the tensions prevailing along the Indo-Pak border. It confirmed that there were no suspicious elements or cargo on board. The spares finally reached Vizhinjam around midnight on Saturday. Capt. Gammal has extended his appreciation to the port authorities, Customs department, Immigration department, and the Indian Coast Guard for their seamless coordination and timely support, Mr. Manoj Nair said.
Gulf News
18-04-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
UAE's air taxis: How soon will it take for 10- or 20-minute trips to become popular?
In Dubai and Abu Dhabi, full-fledged air taxi services is heading for early 2026 launch Last updated: Manoj Nair (Business Editor) and Dhanusha Gokulan, Chief Reporter Dubai: Complete a trip from Abu Dhabi to Dubai in less than 30 minutes? Or a 10-minute trip to a hotel on the Palm Jumeirah from Dubai International Airport. That's just the option moving ever closer on the horizon for all those in the UAE who are currently making do with 90-minute or more road trips between emirates. Or take anywhere from 30-60 minutes depending on the traffic within an emirate. Whether it's Archer Aviation in Abu Dhabi or Joby Aviation in Dubai, the launch schedules for air taxi services on electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the UAE is set for late 2025 or early 2026. The 'verti-ports' that will be the base for the electric air taxis are also getting built in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, all done with an eye on meeting the launch schedules. And thus opening up possibilities for a whole new mode of all-electric transportation. 'The timeline (of late 2025 or early 2026 launch) is ambitious, but realistic - especially here in the UAE, where decision-making is fast and aligned across agencies,' said Stephane Timpano, CEO of Aspire and A2RL. (A2RL is part of Abu Dhabi's Advanced Technology Research Council.) 'Launching in 2026 doesn't mean the skies will be full of air taxis overnight. It means we'll see the first commercial services introduced, likely in limited corridors and with close regulatory oversight. 'It's the beginning of a gradual rollout, which is exactly how it should be. Early use cases will build public trust, which is essential for broader adoption.' That's exactly the point. Scaling up The build-up and rollout of air taxi services based on eVTOL aircraft will be incremental, with the regulator and operators keeping a keen eye on balancing demand with actual supply-side needs. Because these services will come up with a premium rate, at least in the initial phase of use. 'Initial pricing (of inter-emirate air taxi services) will likely reflect the cost of new technology and limited scale,' said Timpano. 'In pilot markets like Los Angeles, early air taxi services are likely to be positioned as premium offerings. But as more operators enter the market and infrastructure matures, costs will come down, just as they did with ride-hailing. 'Over time, we can expect tiered pricing models, with shorter or shared trips becoming more accessible. The key is to start with safety and reliability, and let scale bring affordability.' How many can these eVTOL aircraft carry? Archer Aviation will be providing its 'Midnight' aircraft for the Abu Dhabi operations. The Midnight is a four-passenger aircraft designed for 'back-to-back flights with minimal charge time between flights'. The Joby aircraft – which was shown last year at the World Governments Summit for the first time - too is built on a pilot and four-passenger seating format. Joby Aviation will also build-and-operate the four initial vertiport sites in Dubai for the air taxis – at Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina and the Downtown. 'One of the key advantages of electric vertical aircraft is that they avoid the heavy infrastructure burden of traditional transit systems,' said Antonio Semeraro, Principal - Travel, Transportation and Hospitality practice at the consultancy Arthur D. Little, Middle East. 'Constructing a metro line can take a decade and cost billions. 'In contrast, eVTOLs can operate from compact vertiports integrated into rooftops, parking structures, or transport hubs, allowing cities to deploy aerial mobility solutions much faster and at a lower cost per site. 'While eVTOLs will not match the capacity of mass transit modes like buses or metros, they serve a different purpose - high-speed, point-to-point travel for priority corridors, business users, and tourism.' Abu Dhabi's getting the 'Midnight' It was late March that Abu Dhabi Aviation Group signed up with Archer to bring the first fleet of its Midnight electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, starting this year. Apart from the aircraft, Archer will bring 'experienced pilots, technicians, and engineers' for the full-scale rollout of the services. 'As a leading force in the aviation industry across the region and the largest helicopter operator in the Middle East, Abu Dhabi Aviation has the expertise to develop a scalable urban air mobility service,' said Nader Al Hammadi, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Aviation, in a statement. 'We are excited to lead the way in launching the region's electric air taxi service, starting right here in Abu Dhabi.' For now, the three vertiports in Abu Dhabi will be built at Bateen, Yas Island and Khalifa Port. What about pricing? No formal announcements on what the rates would be for passengers have been made to date. Speculation is that it would be in the region of Dh300 or just over. But one thing is for sure – air taxis will be a premium service. As for pricing, it is realistic to expect that services will initially be offered as a premium form of public transport,' said Semeraro. 'This reflects the early-stage economics of the industry, including limited fleet availability and initial piloted operations. 'However, this does not mean the service will be inaccessible. 'A strong initial use case - particularly in the UAE - is tourism, where air taxis can provide a unique alternative to traditional helicopter tours.
Khaleej Times
19-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai's largest-ever international real estate showcase set to take centre stage in New Delhi
Dubai's booming real estate sector is set to make an unprecedented mark in India with DPXPO – The Dubai Property Expo, the largest-ever overseas exhibition of Dubai real estate, taking place in New Delhi on May 24-25, 2025, at Yashobhoomi, India's premier exhibition venue. Organised by Global Branding Events and Exhibitions, the event will bring together Dubai's leading developers, brokers, and real estate experts, offering an exclusive platform for Indian investors to explore high-yield, tax-free property investments in Dubai. With Indian investors ranking among the top three foreign buyers of Dubai real estate since 2004, DPXPO aims to capitalise on India's growing demand for premium properties in the UAE. According to various reports, Indian nationals have invested over $22 billion in Dubai's real estate sector over the years, drawn by high rental yields, capital appreciation, and long-term residency opportunities. Dubai's rental yields range between six and eight per cent annually, far exceeding returns in major Indian cities like Mumbai and Bangalore, which average two to three per cent. The absence of capital gains and property purchase taxes, combined with the Dh2 million property investment threshold for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa, makes Dubai an unparalleled choice for investors seeking financial security, global mobility, and luxury living. Manoj Nair, head of global branding events and exhibitions, emphasised the unprecedented scale and significance of DPXPO, stating, "This is the first time all major Dubai developers will come together in such a large-scale real estate showcase outside the UAE. Given its status as the single-largest investor market for Dubai real estate, India was the natural choice for the inaugural edition. North India remains an untapped region with immense investment potential, and DPXPO will bridge the gap, bringing Dubai's most prestigious properties directly to high-net-worth investors and professionals in India." DPXPO will provide an immersive and data-driven investment experience, featuring exclusive property deals, financing options, and expert-led panel discussions. Attendees will gain first-hand insights into Dubai's investment landscape, including key developments in luxury residences, commercial spaces, and freehold properties. The event will also highlight the benefits of Dubai's investor-friendly ecosystem, offering guidance on residency and business opportunities through real estate ownership. With over 12,000 expected visitors, including more than 2,000 pre-qualified investors, DPXPO is set to be the most influential and high-impact Dubai real estate event outside the UAE. Strengthening investment flows between India and Dubai, the exhibition reaffirms Dubai's position as the leading global hub for real estate investment.
