Sri Vijaya Puram, 16 May: Unstable sea conditions have prompted the Directorate of Shipping Services to place the entire inter-island and foreshore timetable on weather watch, advising commuters and tourists to brace for same-day cancellations or delays on the busy Phoenix Bay corridor and out-station routes. Officials said safety overrides demand when wind speed and swell height breach threshold limits, leaving captains no alternative but to stand down vessels even after boarding lists are closed.
The caution extends to harbour and vehicle ferries crisscrossing Chatham, Bambooflat, Dundas Point, Hopetown and Phoenix Bay, lifelines for thousands of daily workers. Skippers will monitor gusts and wave periods in real time; a rapid deterioration automatically triggers recall to berth. Travellers who booked onward flights or medical appointments are urged to build margin into itineraries.
Information counters at Phoenix Bay will push hourly bulletins via landlines 03192-245555/232714 and toll-free 1800-345-2714. Officials say the weather cell assesses satellite charts every two hours and liaises with Coast Guard surface stations before issuing a go/no-go. Historically, May’s transition to pre-monsoon brings sudden squalls that can lift sea state from slight to rough within minutes, restricting narrow-channel navigation for foreshore launches.
Shipping planners insist notices are designed to minimise crowd buildup at terminals. Experience shows that early alerts reduce agitation when a sailing is eventually scrubbed. Passengers holding government concession tickets will be accommodated on the next available voyage once weather moderates; tourists may claim date shifts at no extra fee under the exceptional-weather clause. Authorities stress that travel insurance covering weather disruptions remains voluntary but prudent for non-residents during the transition season.
