Security tightened at Odisha's Paradip port after arrival of ship with 21 Pakistani crew members

Paradip |The Odisha Police on Wednesday beefed up security at port town Paradip after the arrival of a ship with 21 Pakistani crew members on board, officials said.

The ‘MT Siren II' with a total of 25 crew members reached Paradip port early on Wednesday from South Korea via Singapore, carrying crude oil for Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, they said.

The rest of the crew includes Indians and Thai nationals, the officials said.

Security arrangements have been tightened by Odisha Marine Police and the CISF after receiving information about the crew members from the Immigration Department, said Marine Police Station inspector in-charge Babita Dehuri.

The Paradip port had been put on high alert in the wake of the military conflict between India and Pakistan.

The ship is anchored at SPM (single point mooring), located around 20 km from the shore, and has 11,350 metric tonnes of crude on board, the officials said.

“Orders have also been issued that no crew will be allowed to leave the ship during evacuation of the crude oil,” the police officer said.