Missing Worker Case Highlights Illegal Transport of Labourers at Bhavnagar Port
Authorities under scrutiny as questions mount over Gujarat Maritime Board’s enforcement of marine safety rules
Bhavnagar, October 31:
A troubling incident at Bhavnagar anchorage has brought renewed attention to unsafe and illegal practices in labour transportation between cargo ships and the shore. According to police and eyewitness accounts, a contractual worker, Chandubhai, has been missing for nearly a month after he reportedly disappeared from a coal barge operating near the bulk carrier MV Vishwa Bandhan.
The MV Vishwa Bandhan, a bulk carrier registered under the Indian flag, arrived at the Bhavnagar anchorage on September 23, carrying approximately 53,840 metric tons of coal destined for unloading at the Bhavnagar New Port. To facilitate offloading operations, local contractors hired groups of labourers who were transported to and from the vessel using small cargo barges. One such barge, identified as Nand Ichchapur, has now become central to the investigation into Chandubhai’s disappearance.
A Routine Shift Turns Into a Mystery
According to workers’ testimonies, Chandubhai was among several labourers ferried aboard the Nand Ichchapur barge to manually unload coal from Vishwa Bandhan. These barges are designed exclusively for cargo transportation and are not authorized to carry passengers, except for their registered crew members. Despite this clear restriction, port insiders say that transporting labourers in such vessels has become a “common but illegal” practice at Bhavnagar and other nearby ports.
On the night of October 2, after completing his work shift, Chandubhai reportedly stepped onto the deck of the barge. “He said he was going out for some fresh air after dinner,” recalled one of his co-workers. Moments later, he vanished. When he failed to return, the crew conducted an immediate search on board but found no sign of him. Fearing that he may have fallen overboard, his colleagues and family members alerted local authorities and began combing the nearby waters.
Over the following days, search efforts were carried out with assistance from local fishermen, the marine police, and port workers. However, despite extensive efforts, no trace of Chandubhai or his belongings was recovered. Police have since filed a missing person’s report, and a formal inquiry is underway.
Allegations of Negligence and Lax Oversight
The incident has sparked serious questions about the enforcement of marine safety and labour transport regulations under the jurisdiction of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) and other port authorities.
Eyewitnesses and local labour unions allege that officials were fully aware of the routine transport of workers via cargo barges — a practice explicitly prohibited by GMB’s own safety directives. One union representative said, “The Marine Safety Circular clearly mentions that cargo barges cannot carry passengers. Yet, this rule is ignored daily. Workers are being ferried in unsafe conditions with no life jackets or safety gear.”
The practice, while long-standing, poses significant risks. Cargo barges, often heavily laden with coal, cement, or metal scrap, lack the structural safety measures or passenger accommodation required under maritime law. In adverse weather or high tide conditions, such transfers can quickly turn dangerous.
Questions Raised for Gujarat Maritime Board
Following the disappearance, activists and local observers have demanded accountability from GMB and other authorities responsible for regulating vessel movement and labour safety at Bhavnagar port. Among the pointed questions being raised are:
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Who authorised the use of cargo barges for ferrying workers?
“All concerned departments, including Customs and the Gujarat Maritime Board, were aware that labourers were being transported by cargo barges from shore to ship and back. This is a totally illegal mode of transportation since cargo barges do not have a certificate to carry passengers apart from their crew members. Who granted permission for these movements in connection with MV Vishwa Bandhan, which arrived at Bhavnagar port with coal cargo on September 23, 2025?” -
What action has GMB taken since the incident?
“If the GMB has issued a Marine Safety Circular clearly stating that cargo barges are not permitted to carry passengers, what steps have been taken after this incident to enforce that directive or penalise violations?”
So far, GMB officials have maintained silence on the matter, stating only that the incident is under investigation. A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the Board would review all barge permits and safety compliance records related to coal unloading operations at Bhavnagar port.
Broader Concerns Over Safety and Accountability
Maritime safety experts say this case underscores a long-standing gap between policy and enforcement in India’s smaller ports. “Circulars and safety advisories are issued regularly, but there’s little monitoring,” said a maritime lawyer based in Ahmedabad. “Contractors often prioritise speed and cost over compliance, and workers are rarely in a position to refuse unsafe transport.”
The disappearance of Chandubhai has reignited demands for stricter inspections, proper registration of labour movements, and the mandatory use of certified passenger launches for ferrying workers to anchored vessels.
As the search for Chandubhai continues, his family remains hopeful yet frustrated. “He left home for a few days of work and never came back,” said his brother. “If the authorities had followed their own safety rules, this would not have happened.”
The incident, though still unresolved, has opened a broader debate about the systemic failures within Bhavnagar’s port operations. Unless accountability is fixed and enforcement tightened, experts warn, such tragedies may only repeat themselves — silently swallowed by the waters off Bhavnagar’s coast.
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