Well, this is an exciting tale my hometown was blessed with three years ago. I wanted to draft about it to celebrate the good out of the bad. Vishakapatnam is known for its coastal beauty, longest coastline and Naval base because of its geographical location on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. So, marine miracles always happen in common in our city. In October 2020, there was a massive storm amidst the Covid-19 first wave. People were already scared of the virus, and on top of that city, Vizag got attacked by a severe storm.
Two days of severe rains made fishermen from the ocean to catch fish, but suddenly, a vast cargo ship hit the shores of Vizag Tenneti beach. People wondered how this could have happened. It was like a paper boat situation in the rain. Haiphong 45 emerged from nowhere with its colossal cargo body floating at the shore, crossed the ocean from Bangladesh and reached Vizag without a crew. The fun part was it got anchored in Bangladesh waters because of its age. It was not in working condition to wander on oceans for exporting and importing. With the heavy storm, the vast ship traveled independently and entered Indian waters to reach Vishakapatnam shore.
It was a security threat for Vizagites, especially when people found a ship floating out of its radar where people generally go for walks at the beach. With proper regulations, the Indian government took it into control when Bangladesh expressed its wish not to have it again because of its unnecessary fuel expenses and repair charges. It ran aground from Bangladesh and reached Vishakapatnam with its 3000 tonnes capacity built.
With some lakhs of expenditure, the Andhra Pradesh state government bought the ship and placed it at the same spot where it appeared. The government and naval officials gradually checked everything and developed it as a tourist attraction. Like the Kursura submarine that participated in the Indo-Pakistan war decades ago, Haiphong-45 also became a tourist attraction for people with such a miraculous story.
As this story turns three years, I covered its marine beauty and robust build by capturing the current scenario. So I went with my sister recently to Tenneti Beach, only to revisit this ship after two years. Everything has changed around that particular place. It became more crowded and commercial than before. It's good for the economy, but it ruined the natural beauty of that beach.
Tenneti Park is one of the known parks in Vizag, and mostly visited one too. Many couples and children stop by to spend time in the park with an exotic panoramic beach view. The rocky stairs give a little trek vibe that leads to the beach. And that's why it's called Tenneti Beach. One must explore the shore by walking, and Haiphong 45 stays erected to attract visitors to this beach. Indeed, only a few people used to visit the beach before that incident, but after that incident in 2020, the ratio quickly increased to many levels.
I had never seen such a massive crowd at Tenneti Park and Tenneti Beach before, even though I schooled and graduated at the institutions on the same beach road for years. The cargo ship has turned the fate of this beach and slowly started attracting tourists instead of just locals. My sister and I were amazed to see the crowd but also got irked, especially after comparing our memories of that beach with our present condition. People were visiting, clicking pictures, making reels and videos; many stalls popped up, some people took their pets out for a walk at the beach shore, children were playing, and parents enjoyed everything around that considerable cargo ship.
Amidst that whole dramatic hush and rush, I took some time to embrace the view of the ship from every angle. I stood from afar and noticed everything. I felt proud but also bad when I saw people scribbling their names, dates and unnecessary stuff on the ship's body instead of appreciating its beauty the way it is. Suppose you are an enthusiast who loves marine elements and ships. In that case, you must visit this place because you can witness everything from the outside, even though entering inside is restricted until it is open to the public after renovations.
The ship was anchored at the shore, and its substantial iron chains were bolted at the rocky mountain structure attached to the park. I stood at the nearest shed-like structure with a typical Caribbean rustic vibe. From there, I started capturing the pictures of that huge cargo ship. It was amazing to look at, and every angle gives you a different kind of feel. And I found it exciting when I went to its back where the sea levels were noted on its body. More than anything else, the fans at the bottom of the ship that helped the ship move in water was a crazy sight.
Standing at that fan and observing the whole ocean when the waves were wetting my feet on the warm sand of the beach was a lovely experience on that evening to bag from my hometown stories. Sometimes, good things happen, even in bad situations. That storm was unpredictable, heavy and unmanageable, especially with rising COVID cases, but the ship came as a good boon. Built in Singapore, it was bought and used by Bangladesh as one of its primary cargo ships. However, it was destined to end up in India without losing its legacy by rusting in Bangladesh waters and providing entertainment as a tourist attraction with an unbelievable storm story. Bad weather doesn't last forever; one day, the sun shines brightly and brings the regular days back.
To everyone, whenever you visit Vishakapatnam, the city of Destiny in Coastal Andhra Pradesh, please visit this Haiphong- 45 Cargo ship at Tenneti Beach near Tenneti Park.
