A committee formed by the Shipping Ministry of India has recommended that ships older than 25 years must be barred entry into Indian ports.

The move follows the committee probing a collision between the MSC Chitra and Khalijia III near Mumbai Port in 2009.

The report also said that the decision-making hierarchy in Indian ports needed to be reorganised to cope with emergencies more efficiently, and suggested that the scope of the Navigational Safety Committee in Ports be widened to cover large ports.

The formation of a separate vessel traffic system authority under the Mumbai Trust Port to offer pilot service along the channel was also among the recommendations.