Following the IMO visit last week, there was further good news this week as the DG (Director General) of shipping finally issued NOCs (No Objection Certificates) allowing 14 vessels at OPL to proceed inwards for beaching.

Few people will be resting easy until those vessels hit the beach, but it is clearly a positive step towards the reopening of the industry, following the inspection and clearance of 17 yards by the Bangladesh environmental ministry last month.

It will only be a limited number of vessels that is able to beach over this first tide of November 4 to 7 and it may be that BELA will aim to strike back harder to prevent these along with future beaching, but it is a step forward for the industry nonetheless.

(Sourced from GMS Weekly)