VIZHINJAM STEAMER AGENTS ASSOCIATION Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The 1st petitioner is an association of local shipping agents/ steamer agents, rendering Crew change and other allied services like Bunkering, Ship handling, Ship supply, Painting, Repair, Survey, Engineering, Laundry, etc., to vessels calling at the Vizhinjam Seaport. The Vizhinjam Seaport is managed by the Kerala Maritime Board, established by the State Government under the Kerala Maritime Board Act, 2017. The 2nd petitioner is the Managing Director of M/s. Dowins Resources Pvt. Ltd and a member of the Association of Local Steamer Agents. The petitioners are aggrieved by Ext.P3 order of the 2nd respondent, withdrawing the controlled crew change services which, according to them, were being rendered from the Inner and Outer Anchorages of Vizhinjam Port. The petitioners, therefore, seek the following reliefs;

(2.) The essential facts, as narrated in the writ petition, are as under;

(3.) Heard, Senior Advocate V.J. Mathew, ably assisted by Adv. Kevin Mathew George, for the petitioners, Advocates Suvin R. Menon for respondents 1 to 3, Jaishankar V Nair for the 4th respondent and K.P. Sudheer for the 5th respondent.