Ship Stopped From Docking
A PANAMANIAN registered vessel, which arrived at the Tema Port on Monday with rice reported to be 4,800 metric tonnes, is awaiting some laboratory analysis conducted on samples of the rice to ascertain its (vessel's) fate.
The vessel, MV Dovision, which travelled from the United States of America carrying the rice believed to be American long grain, arrived at the Tema Port on the said day at a time when it was almost past working period.
DAILY GUIDE sources said stevedore workers who were contracted to work on the vessel were reported to have started feeling dizzy and experiencing some burning sensations on their skins when the hatches of the vessel were opened for them to work.
The situation, according to the sources, compelled the workers to lodge a complaint with the Tema Port branch of the Food & Drugs Board (FDB) and the Port Health for some action to be taken.
The two institutions were reported to have quickly moved in so as to inspect the vessel, with a view to finding out what the problem could be. They were said to have detected that a fumigation exercise carried out on the vessel earlier was not properly done and as a result, some of the fumigants had entered the rice.
It was here that the two institutions got to know that prior to its arrival at the Tema Port, MV Dovision had earlier docked at Cape Verde; a location where the fumigation exercise was reported to have been conducted.
Some plastic containers which were believed to have contained the fumigants were found in the hatches of the vessel when they were opened.
The situation compelled the two institutions to order samples of the 4,800 metric tonnes of rice on the vessel for some laboratory analysis to determine if the imported rice was safe for human consumption.
A source hinted DAILY GUIDE at the port that handlers of the vessel had earlier declined to allow the FDB to take samples of the rice for the laboratory analysis.
The owners, however, later wrote to the FDB and apologized for their earlier action. Their change of heart, according to the source, had now paved way for FDB officials to carry out their initial request.
At the time of going to press yesterday, MV Dovision, which was at the anchorage, was yet to dock as there was no space for it.
'When other vessels move away from the port, there will be some space for MV Dovision to dock to allow the FDB men to do their work in sampling the rice to ascertain whether it is safe for consumption or not,' the source noted.