The committee to probe the recent collision of two ships in Chittagong Port channel has made the recommendation, official sources said.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) formed the five-member probe committee headed by its Director (Security) Lt Col Sarwar Shahid immediately after the collision on the night of September 21.

The committee is likely to submit its report to the CPA chairman today.

The collision between the Bangladesh flag carrier Banga Biraj and the Panamanian flagship Eagle Strength caused extensive damage to 18 navy ships and navy installations.

Massive damage to both ships and four containers falling overboard in the Karanphuli river was also caused under the impact of the collision. Movement of vessels in the port channel was temporarily suspended.

The probe body in its four-point recommendation suggested the CPA double its present strength of pilots and formulate interim provision to engage pilots from outside for piloting vessels until the manpower in this department is increased.

It also suggested the CPA ensure enough rest time for the pilots during working hours to get better service from them.

Bangladesh Navy and the Department of Shipping also constituted two separate probe bodies.

The CPA should procure a high-capacity rescue vessel as soon as possible to salvage the sunk ships at the port channel and the outer anchorage in the Bay, the probe committee suggested in its 100-page report.

The committee blamed the Panamanian vessel directly and the local flag carrier indirectly for the accident but said the hit on the navy ships by the Eagle Strength was 'incidental, not intentional'.

Quoting the statement sent to the committee by the navy, the report said 18 navy ships and the jetty installation of BNS Isha Kha incurred damage more or less under the impact of collision and 16 navy staff of different levels were injured.

The probe report mentioned that the main causes of the collision are reckless sailing at high speed by the Eagle Strength and heavy water flow in the port channel towards the ship adding to its speed.

Taking sudden turn by the foreign flag carrier and negligence of duties by the pilots of both the ships were the other major causes of the collision, the report said.

CPA Chairman A N M Shahadat Hossain told the news agency authorities would review the report first and take necessary actions in line with the recommendations.

He said the port channel was now out of risk as 'all four containers' that fell into the river Karnaphuli during the collision was retrieved yesterday by the party concerned.

Meanwhile, the three-member inquiry committee headed by Principal Officer of the Mercantile Marine Department Captain A K M Shafiqullah, formed by the Department of Shipping, will submit its report to the authorities on October 22, official sources said.