Sri Vijaya Puram, 16 May: Deckhands aboard MV Sentinel logged a slice of maritime history last week when the inter-island vessel became the first scheduled ship since the 2004 tsunami to berth at Makachua and Afra Bay, two tribal hamlets in Little Nicobar. Rough seas failed to derail a promise made to village elders during a recent tour by the chief secretary.
The successful trial has now been written into the timetable: starting next month, a passenger-cum-cargo vessel will drop anchor at both settlements on the second Thursday of every cycle, linking them to Sri Vijaya Puram and Campbell Bay via Hut Bay, Nancowry and Katchal. Officials call the move a logistics milestone that closes a critical gap for medical referrals, schoolchildren and staple-goods supply.
For locals, the inaugural call triggered an emotional ‘flowering at sea’ ceremony, petals cast from dug-outs while conch shells sounded alongside. Older residents recalled the pre-tsunami era when fortnightly schooners carried copra and betel leaf to Car Nicobar markets. After the disaster, jetty debris and reef shifts left the coast without a safe approach, forcing communities to rely on hired dinghies for emergency transfers.
The Shipping Directorate says hydrographic data collected over the past year confirmed a navigable channel at slack tide. Sentinel’s captain executed daylight berthing on outward and return runs, validating the depth profile for similarly drafted ships. Port engineers will next review the need for a mooring dolphin to speed cargo swings in heavy weather.
Administrators believe the scheduled touch will underpin government outreach, allowing mobile health teams, agronomy officers and postal agents to synchronise visits. The sailing also sets a template for eventual inclusion of other lightly served outposts, provided tidal windows and reef morphology permit. Villagers have petitioned for refrigerated holds to carry fresh fish to mainland buyers; shipping planners said demand will be assessed once the service matures.
