Pratibha Cauvery - the real story part ! & 2

http://www.moneylife.in/article/pratibha-cauverys-sorry-plight-who-is-to-blame/29481.html

Pratibha Cauvery, 31 years old, already in bad shape, with unpaid crew, no provisions, no diesel, no stores, no drinking water, is outside Chennai harbour. What are the options with the captain? Very little, given the current way maritime laws are implemented

http://moneylife.in/article/the-mt-pratibha-cauvery-tragedy-at-chennai-some-hard-truths-and-unsavoury-facts/29495.html

The truth behind what happened on the Pratibha Cauvery off Chennai lies more in the communications to and from the ship for the past few months than in what happened onboard in the last few hours before grounding. Meanwhile, as the ship breaks free and heads north, the bigger question arising is—was this an attempt to scuttle the ship for insurance?

+++

More fishermen killed off Kerala . . . and the larger impact

Maritime incidents involving fishermen—a deeper issue impacting our global economic status

The impact of this on our economic strength has been discussed in the past also in this journal, and matters have only become worse since then, but at some stage there comes a time when this sort of an approach—that India is content being a soft state—has to stop

http://www.moneylife.in/article/maritime-incidents-involving-fishermenmdasha-deeper-issue-impacting-our-global-economic-status/24024.html

__

The message has to get across. Either that or we can take our economic superpower dreams, and place them aside while more of our second line of defence, our fishermen, fall victims to rogue ships and the people onboard. If the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have to be given an independent dispensation to enforce discipline and adherence to laws in Indian waters, in lieu of the civil maritime administration that appears to be incapable of doing anything other than feathering their halcyonic nests, then so be it.

India Maritime Week 2012 -

India Maritime Week was held in Delhi from the 17th through 21st of January 2012. Organised by Gateway Media of Singapore and Hyderabad. Here's my report, as carried first at MoneyLife:-

http://moneylife.in/article/the-deeper-message-from-the-india-maritime-week/23271.html

The deeper message from the India Maritime Week

http://www.indiamaritimeweek.com/

January 28, 2012 08:20 AM |
Veeresh Malik

The participants at the IMW were reminded that if they wanted the freedom to grow, they had it, and there was no point in simply bringing up old issues. The approach was that the IMW heralded a solution oriented future, and was not going to be the complaint centre

There is a theory doing the rounds in the backrooms of power in India, quietly gaining strength with those for whom national interest takes precedence over anything else, that the Bombay-Calcutta axis of commercial power enhanced by the alignments of maritime trade as elevated in the post-Mughal colonial eras is about to self-destruct and implode into a natural end. This may not be very palatable to many, but then the truth is usually anything but bitter, and is more than wishful thinking by rival ports and cities and the people behind them which have come from literally the deep blue ocean and taken large chunks of cargo away from these two traditional city-ports.

Witness the following winds of change, globally and in India, as weather-vane indicators:

• Large historically strong port-cities from powerful nations worldwide have re-invented themselves as banking and trading centres as the physical ports themselves have moved away. Examples —London, New York, San Francisco, Amsterdam, Tokyo and even Shanghai. However, they have also re-invested vast sums of money in building up the support infrastructure to make themselves global cities. Can we say the same of Kolkata or Mumbai, which have more or less, simply changed their names? Can the Kolkata or Mumbai Port Trust start to try to emulate the methods adopted with changing times by, for example, the Port of New York Authority, which has become a huge infrastructure company now known as the “Port Authority of New York and New Jersey”?
• Vast chunks of the commercial aspects of shipping have moved to inland cities like Toronto, Geneva, New Delhi and some inland cities in the states of Connecticut and Virginia in the US. Even land-locked Mongolia is emerging as a maritime registry of some clout. Within India, shippers and customers inland now often have the upper hand over the ports, shipping lines and agents, which also dictates not just cost control, but also timelines demanded of the shipping industry. Shippers from upcountry inland centres who had to go and beg for everything they wanted in port cities even as recently as 10 years ago, will and do demand real-time solutions in their own town, or will simply not use those ports again.
• Within the Indian context, the states which appear to be racing ahead with building ports and allied inland infrastructure are Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Industry as well as consumption is already following them. The realities with Mumbai/Maharashtra andKolkata/West Bengal and their satellite ports are there for all to see, in comparison, which is sad, no doubt, but as put forward by one of the speakers, “time and tide waits for no-one”. Broadly, a clarion call has gone out to these two ports—shake up, or ship out.
• Forget removal of cabotage, the message was that the government was going to make concerted and joint efforts to assist coastal shipping, though at this juncture the inter-ministry co-operations required were as hazy as the intra-ministry co-operation missing from within the various arms of the ministry of shipping. A call went out that like in inland water navigation, the cobwebs of the DG (Directorate General) of Shipping be removed so that coastal and inland shipping in progressive states could go forward like it did in Goa. This is a fact—the biggest stumbling block for coastal shipping in India has been our own shipping governance.

In this context, the first ever India Maritime Week (IMW) held in Delhi from the 17th through to the 21st of January, was a mirror to all that is going up and down, or better still, like the ocean tides, flowing in or out, along our coasts and connected aspects. Incidentally, one additional reason for holding this now to-be annual feature in Delhi was that it removed any trace of regional bias between coastal states and local power brokers, which has been the bane of similar attempts in the past. Holding this event in Delhi, straddling all aspects of the maritime industry, means that there was no Bombay club, Calcutta adda, Madras coffee-shop, Cochin spice or any other parochial or communal bias. This was simply—pan India.

The IMW also spanned seamlessly the complete spectrum of issues related to the role of shipping in securing and strengthening a country and its economy. Intermodal linkages (road, rail, inland water), ports, maritime industries (ship-building, repair, dredging), technology (software and hardware), people (HR onboard as well as skills development onboard and ashore), coastal shipping, passenger movements, ship-owning, finance and domestic as well as international regulations were just some of the issues where information was shared, and discussed, freely and frankly, often between disparate groups who were inter-dependent but rivals. In addition, this being Delhi, governance was present in full force, and made some important announcements which will have very deep bearings on the larger issues of national interest.

In addition to the inaugurals, where there was some plain speaking by various arms of the central government on past mistakes and future path forwards, were the surprise star sessions which sort of provided additional inputs on where the industry and therefore economy was headed. These included:

• Real time status reports and plans of some of the private ports in the country, previously known as ‘minor ports’ but having now over-taken the major ports, also known as ‘non-major’ ports. The simple fact that such ports have aggressive marketing and sales personnel posted not just in inland centres in India but also abroad shows how far this business has come from a day and age when the trade had to beg for berths—as they often still have to do at the government-run major ports. To observe the marketing managers of some ports actively networking and hustling for business was such a refreshing change from what it is like with the ‘major’ ports.
• Inland waterways seem to be stealing a march over all other forms of domestic transport, including linkages to the North East through Bangladesh. House-full to overflowing sessions. Freed from the shackles and cobwebs of the moribund DGS, this seems to be shooting ahead in eastern UP, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa and even Kashmir. Gujarat appears to be blocked here because the Gulf of Kutch and Khambat are still under the ‘control’ of the ancient Merchant Shipping Act, and the islands are being slowly denied good sea service by rules designed to frustrate, but some changes are proposed here too.
• Deliberations on how to turn around the central government-run major ports brought out some surprising numbers—the realisation from just about 8% of the land owned by the Bombay/Mumbai Port Trust, currently locked in by legacy tenants, would be more than enough to dredge and re-modernise the complete Mumbai/JNPT/Butcher Island/Nhava Sheva Port complex and leave enough money for outright purchase of one or two satellite ports not too far from Mumbai. The thinking here is that the PPP (public-private-partnership) route or seeking funds from the Centre is not really necessary for the Port Trusts when the major port trusts already have the asset base to take things forward on their own. The message was—if you don’t take your land back from your tenants despite being able to, then don’t come with a begging bowl to the Centre.
• A session on petroleum imports (liquid and gas) and their storage moved on from the known numbers and projections to new alternate scenarios of impact of renewable energy and storage of both crude and gas in underground caverns, as well as issues of energy security and micro-generation of power using wave generation around ports. This is more than symbolic, since many of the larger oil companies—foreign and Indian—and their related entities are quietly re-inventing themselves as energy companies with eminently green credentials—where a continuous increase in consumption of energy does not mean a concurrent increase in the consumption of fossil fuels, solid, liquid and gas.
• Some plain and straight talking by the ministers who attended as well as the civil servants and technocrats from the ministries and shipping boards as well as infrastructure segments of the government would have gone down hard with the industry. PPP was the preferred route, long-term investment with Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) was expected, security considerations were top essential and in that context ‘denied’ on security grounds by the intelligence services meant ‘denied’. Customer is King, and if you don’t satisfy him, then don’t blame us if they somehow go via Colombo, was another message which the Sri Lankan delegates, waiting in the slips like their cricketers, were snapping up. Mention needs be made of co-operation between India and Sri Lanka in developing and re-vitalising Sri Lankan ports. All bets need to be covered, right? Right.

There is most certainly a deep realisation within the government and others that India’s complete future as a nation is at an inflection point, and is also intricately linked with India’s economic strength, which in turn depends a lot on the maritime strengths. The message is loud and clear—there is no more time to waste, the country has a large coastline, those states and ports and support services which move ahead will be given all support, those who continue to waste time and bicker may need to be aware of the consequences. There are nine state governments with coastal assets, there are some central government assets along the coast, the North East states have a good chance of being linked to the oceanways through Myanmar and/or Bangladesh, and most importantly—the country is not willing to accept a lack of efficiency any more.

If there was one message that went out from the IMW in Delhi, then it was this—the new ports in India are now the destinations of choice for trade, import, export and domestic. And if the older ports and their cities don’t provide this vital service, then nobody outside is going to mourn their change in status. To be given guided tours of the old dock systems in Kolkata and Mumbai and realise that things are so much still the same in both of them as they were decades ago, when this writer first joined a ship, may excite those seeking heritage and vintage thrills, but brought out titters and sniggers of “same shame” from some of the assembled delegates.

And then you are shown real-time satellite feeds and video clips of the newer ports, along with first-hand feedback from friends still sailing whose ships call these new generation Indian ports, and get invitations from more friends working at these ports—and you say to yourself, wish it was easier to secure permissions from the other authorities currently paranoid about security to bring this message to our own people that this, too, is India. And then you head into the exhibition area of the IMW, and suddenly, all this and more on display there.

The IMW should have had a “public day” for general visitors. Or place a mobile exhibition outside Red Gate, Indira Docks, Mumbai and Netaji Subhash Docks, Kolkata, for the people of those cities to see what their ports and cities could be.

The aim of the government is to put up at least 130% of projected capacity, both in captive and common user facilities, of all shipping-related needs, after which, may the most efficient survive and flourish. The participants at the IMW were reminded that if they wanted the freedom to grow, they had it, and there was no point in simply bringing up old issues. The approach was that the IMW heralded a solution oriented future, and was not going to be the complaint centre—and that was clear to see at IMW 2012 in Delhi.

(Veeresh Malik started and sold a couple of companies and is now back to his first love—writing. He is also involved actively in helping small and midsize family-run businesses re-invent themselves. Mr Malik had a career in the Merchant Navy which he left in 1983, qualifications in ship-broking and chartering, a love for travel, and an active participation in print and electronic media as an alternate core competency, all these and more.)

What I would like MUI to do . . .

Here's a wishlist of what I would like MUI to do for Indian seafarers, can you suggest more, or amendments, improvements, whatever?

# Single articles of agreement for seafarers on Indian flag ships, with the MUI-INSA agreement setting the terms & conditions as well as salary minima, between shipowner and seafarer. (If the seafarer is being paid more than the MUI-INSA agreement, then mention it on the articles.)

# Revive the concept of employment on Indian flag vessels, keeping in mind the new Service tax and TDS regulations.

# Involve MUI in the revised RPS Rules from DGS and from there coordinate it to FOSMA/MASSA and INSA companies of the better variety.

# Restore dignity for all at DGS, MMD, Shipping Master along the lines of model RTOs and offices at airports - both for the people working there as well as the clients, seafarers and others who need to come there.

# Initiate a vessel feedback system from Indian Masters/Mates and Chief Engineers/Engineers of ships visiting Indian ports with some element of confidentiality assured.

# Tighten up the examination system, including video recording of orals and online "no delay" writtens without restrictions on how many seats per centre. (For example, NOIDA/Delhi has only 40 seats vs 100s of candidates)

# Bring Delhi online for engine side endorsements. (Currently Delhi/NOIDA is only deck)

# Cleaning up the whole GMDSS mess.

# Take feedback on and update the syllabus for CoC exams from college lecturers and candidates.

# Work towards courses to be on dual shift per day basis to reduce time at colleges for seafarers on leave.

# Lay down insurance covers and underwrite additional salaries at 3x levels for seafarers who have been kidnapped, hijacked, pirated, held in jail = single salary to family, and double salary head in escrow till end of episode, plus post episode trauma care and support, on a scale that rises with duration.

# Instal a system of ship / owner / RPS Agent / other feedback from MUI members and share this open domain.

# Work towards more sensible safe manning levels for Indian flag, foreign flag visiting India and foreign flag with Indians onboard. Teach seafarers how to make cogent work-time studies towards presentation skills for improving quality of life onboard.

# Bring MUI into direct interaction with Customs, Immigration, Health and other agencies which interact with Indian seafarers in India.

# Increase death and disability compensation to minimum 20 years or balance of life potential employment levels.

+++

Appreciate more please?

Releasing kidnapped Indians - the difference between seafarers and shore-staff

Can YOU spot the difference in the way the Ministry of Shipping and DG Shipping take forward matters for seafarers, and how the Ministry of External Affairs does so for others?




Here's a report from Mail Today/India Today:-


http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/pranab-mukherjee-helped-free-kidnapped-indian-in-yemen/1/165246.html


http://epaper.mailtoday.in/epaperhome.aspx?issue=21122011

Pranab hand in freeing kidnapped Indian

Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury/ New Delhi

FOR Sukumar Roy Chaudhury ( 65), a Delhi- based geophysicist, his tour to Yemen was meant to provide a boost to his career. Instead, it turned out to be a nightmare. Chaudhury was abducted and held captive by the infamous Hussain gang for 10 days before he was freed a few days ago for a ransom of ` 5 crore. An IIT alumnus, Chaudhury is employed with a Faridabad- based oil and gas company. He was sent to Yemen to work for a local company with which the Indian firm has a tie- up. Chaudhury was kidnapped along with three Kazakh engineers when they were on their way to the work site, 150 km from the Yemeni capital, Sanna. A ransom of ` 10 crore was demanded for his release. While in captivity, Chaudhury was made to sleep on the floor and was given food once a day. Fortunately, he was allowed to use the phone. This enabled Chaudhury to contact his wife Anita who immediately got in touch with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee to secure her husband’s release. It has been learnt that Mukherjee acted swiftly and moved the ministry of external affairs ( MEA) to secure his release. It was nothing short of a secret mission launched by the MEA which saw Chaudhury being freed without much hassle. Though there were fears that with the government’s involvement the kidnappers could raise the ransom amount, the deal was finally settled for ` 5 crore. Currently lodged in a five- star hotel in Sanna, Chaudhury is expected to be back with his family in a few days after the legal formalities for his travel are completed. +++ And here's a report from the MASSA Newsletter of September 2011 for what the owners, agents and DG Shipping are doing for the seafarers stranded / kidnapped in Somalia especially those on the fully RPS compliant DG Shipping approved Indian Government authorised articles and agreements, working on Indian CDCs:- Meeting of OMCI Shipping with MUI / NUSI / MASSA for updating status of Asphalt Venture crew held captive in Somalia on 19th September, 2011. Capt. S. B. Kundargi, Secretary, MASSA attended the meeting and following is the gist of the meeting. Representative of Owners stated that owners are finding it difficult to continue expenses on account the seven seafarers held captive in Somalia. NUSI countered that all expenses will have to be borne by Owners as being done so far. Similar views were expressed by both at the meeting with DGS also. DGS has advised OMCI to discuss with Capt Vinay Singh on counseling methods used. They may also contact V Ships and Capt Rangnekar. Owners will now contact Red Cross directly without DGS involvement but keeping DGS advised on developments. DGS advised that pirates generally have been allowing medicines to be delivered to hostages and OMCI/Owners should check with family members on requirements and arrange accordingly. OMCI stated that their representatives are in regular contact with the seven seafarers. All are healthy but some with complaints of skin infection. They are kept in huts and are being shifted to different locations. 3) Meeting on 22nd September, 2011 in DGS Conference Room to discuss Creating Awareness about Merchant Navy in Tier 3 and 4 cities. The preliminary meeting of the committee for working out modus operandi to create more awareness of seafaring profession was held under the chairmanship of Joint Director General of Shipping on 22.09.2010. ++++ And then, the same DG Shipping had this meeting:- The modus operandi to create more awareness of seafaring profession: The Chairman explained the need for creating awareness of seafaring profession. The steps taken earlier on this issue were discussed. It was pointed out that during 2007-2008 road shows were arranged with involvement of INSA, FOSMA, & MASSA. Help lines were also introduced by MASSA & FOSMA. However, all these activities are at present practically not functional due to various reasons. Mckinsey report has indicated that there is additional demand on requirement of manpower in world shipping, which indicates that, the requirement of Indian resources in the coming years is going to be doubled. Hence, this issue needs detailed deliberations to work out a feasible road map to attain the target. Formation of sub-committee is, therefore, the primary need & this group itself may be formed as a sub-committee. It was also pointed out that the financial support to the project may also be forthcoming from overseas agencies for specific initiatives. FOSMA and MASSA representatives pointed out that if efforts have to be put up to create an awareness among the general public regarding the seafaring profession, it will be advisable to conduct road shows and to target students of 10 to 12 standards preferably during the start of the academic sessions in schools and colleges. They were also of the opinion that quality of marine training is declining and opined that a system shall be evolved by which the responsibility of academics will be with Indian Maritime University and the responsibility for the competency will be with Directorate General of Shipping. General awareness can also be created by printed material, electronic media & road shows, among other means. INSA was of the concerned view that there is a huge turn out from the Maritime training Institutes but due to lack of training berths, there is excess manpower available. The training is at present commercialized. Hence, awareness of seafaring profession is not warranted at this stage. The need for quality in training has to be given priority at present. Perhaps evaluating and benchmarking for the training institute may help the students choose the correct institute. After a detailed deliberations on the issue the following decisions were arrived at which can be put forth to the National Shipping Board. 1. The issue on creating awareness of seafaring profession has to be looked into comprehensively considering the present manpower availability, quality of training imparted, management and control of training institute, etc. 2. Considering the above it is advisable to have a two track approach as follows i) Enhancing the quality of training including controlling of the training slots in view of training berths, by controlling & monitoring by weeding out infructuous institutes, encouraging the 100% placement granted instead, i.e. sponsorship for admission for training. ii) Creating awareness of seafaring profession by following means. Awareness programme- multiprong approach - counseling in schools, advertisements, participation in education fairs, e-media, visual media, etc. Both these functions can be parallel taken up in a gradual manner. 3. The sub-committee has suggested that the above members may work on this issue and give their specific and elaborated recommendations after subsequent meetings. +++ Truth is this:- when senior seafarers go to DG Shipping for help in such cases, then people like Capt. Harish Khatri are reported to have told them to get out or he will call the police and have them arrested - forgetting that in this day and age these things are so easily recorded, both audio and video. Do our shipping administrators think that we are still supplicants dependant on them, isn't the DG's interview in SAARC Journal quoted below reason enough for them to hang their faces in shame?

Such are the strange ways of our Indian Government.

In September 2005 the Government of India announced by a gazzette notification the "Entry of Vessels into Ports Rules, 2005." Amongst other things, it spelt out the provisions for insurance on foreign ships entering India, to cover pollution and wreck removal.

In July 2006, the Ministry of Shipping, TR Baalu presiding, issued another notice putting the above Rule into abeyance till further orders.

A response to an RTI on this subject is awaited. Interim if anybody has any internal information on this, anonymity and confidentialities assured.

FAIRCHEM BOGEY pirated from Salalah Anchorage

http://thoughtso.wordpress.com/2011/08/20/thats-a-dare-pirates-catch-omanis-napping-21-indians-to-pay-the-price/

Here's Jugal Purohit's blog on the subject of the FAIRCHEM BOGEY piracy from Salalah (Oman/Muscat) anchorage in broad daylight.

More follows.


Pirates of the Somali basin, early this morning, took their prowess a notch above when they managed to whisk out a chemical/oil tanker right from under the nose of the authorities at the Port of Salalah. The MT Fairchem Bogey (IMO: 9423750; GRT: 15190; Flag: Marshall Island) was at anchorage, barely 4-5 nautical miles from the shore after entering the port in the early hours of August 18.
The Fairchem Bogey was to load 20,000 tonnes of methanol later today and sail out on August 21.
Even though the disease of piracy has forced the Europeans and Chinese to deploy naval assets to safeguard their economic interests, it was only today that this neighbouring port which claims to be a ‘worldclass transshipment hub’ was woken up to the reality of being in a conflict zone. Unfortunately though, the price for this folly is being paid by the hijacked crew of 21 Indians on board the ship.
Latest positions reveal the ship as travelling south-west, towards Somalia and has logged atleast 90 nautical miles since being taken over. As far as the news of this development, which can affect ‘business interests’, it is learnt that it may just be relegated to the cold storage in Omani media.

Sequence of events
According to a source, it was a dhow (Ocean-going trawler) which was used by the pirates to work its way up to the ill-fated ship and hijack it. “For a dhow to be in the anchorage is very normal, unlike in the other ports. That is because, this area sees a lot of unregistered trade which dhows carry out. The reach of these dhows extends from the Gujarat coast in India till the Horn of Africa,” said a source located in Salalah.
However, an alert sailor on watch duty onboard the Fairchem Bogey actually detected something amiss and raised an alarm. “Immediately, the crew hurried to the strong-house or citadel and locked themselves up. From there, they pleaded with the port authorities for help,” the source added. Simultaneously, an unknown number of pirates’ managed to climb onboard the ship. “It was the crew’s misfortune that one or two crew members could not make it to the citadel and were left out. This worked to the pirates advantage as the well-armed bandits apprehended the isolated crew members,” the official added.
A practice followed very religiously is that once even a single crew member falls into the hand of an armed pirate, then all means of using force to secure their fate are withdrawn. This is done to avoid risking the life/lives of the crew member/s.
With that act of apprehending, the fate of the 21 Indians onboard, thus was sealed.
In addition to this, the pirates also got two full hours to force the remaining crew out of the citadel and complete their mission. Once done, the ship charted its course to the Somali badlands. As per information available, the captain of the ship also communicated to the authorities that armed pirates had taken charge of the ship and thus all action be suspended.
Security Level 1
Speaking to a local operator, aware of the inner-workings of the Salalah port, it was understood that despite the proximity to the Somali and Yemeni coast – the springboards of the modern-day piracy – the state of alert at the port was at level one. Effectively, this would translate into a ‘normal’ state of affairs with hardly any enhanced security measures in place. Could this have been averted? “Of course. The authorities here have rather been lax as something as daring as this has never even been conceived,” he stated.

“At present, the authorities are desperately seeking clues on this spectacular raid. Inquiries are being made and rumours mills are working over-time. But the fact remains that they have little or no lead,” added the source.
Helpless in such cases: DG Shipping
In a document accessed, the DGS, which has often attracted flak for being unable to react effectively to this malaise, has admitted that it has virtually no jurisdiction to tackle cases like this even where Indian interests are involved.
The port authorities meanwhile did not immediately offer a comment.

Another view on helping people impacted by maritime piracy . . .

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/MerchantNavy/message/14172

Re: MNOA/Chandigarh, seminar on maritime piracy

This has become a really long and interesting message set, in the course of the
night while I was away from the internet.

1) I personally do not support donations of any sort for attending conferences
or seminars. If the organisers want somebody that badly, then they pay. If the
person wants to say something that much, he pays. Day in and day out I am
invited to conferences in and around Delhi - corruption, environment, motoring,
media, the whole nine yards - and that has been the standard at the good ones -
and by and large, say what you want, most of these conferences evolve into
networking and co-opting functions. Reality is what people like Anna Hazare do,
everybody pays his own way.

2) The approach here is this - it is the value of the conference that is being
enhanced by the presence of the specific person with something to say. It is
also a cause that goes further if this cost is borne by the organisers.

3) If we have to make donations, then my sincere suggestion, request, advice, is
this:- please start with direct donations to the families of the people onboard
ships, that's my take on the subject. That is as far as looking behind, to help
those already in trouble, is concerned.

4) If we have to do something to fix things, looking ahead, then let us start
closer home, let us first of all openly accept the truths, with open house and
conference/seminar with our very own authorities. When was the last time DGS or
MoS or MUI or NUSI et al chose to hold a two-way dialogue with seafarers and
their families, anybody recall? After the Mangalore AIX crash, there was a
concentrated effort by some pilots and others to get into the whole rotten
aspects of aviation training and certification as well as other aspects of the
Indian aviation business - and the single point they focused was on the corrupt
core - DGCA. I am saying this here and have said it elsewhere - if we want to
fix things for looking ahead - let us get DGS in order. Call them to give
account. Let us fix the training colleges. But we won't do that because the
majority of seafarers ashore depend on this corrupt system to propagate their
own little feathered nests, right?

5) I know Capt. Choudhary quite well, and put it this way - he certainly has the
wherewithal to go for this conference on his own steam if he really wants to, as
he has expressed too. Very good man, and sincere - he went to Chandigarh on his
own steam and did something that most of us have not done - met with families of
piracy victims. Let us start by emulating him - I can help co-ordinate such
gatherings in Mumbai to start with - any takers? Maybe do it in the ballroom at
Seaman's Club, call the media, ask DGS, Shipping Office to send representatives?

+++

So let us have a conference/seminar in India on matters pertaining to DGS. Let
us call not just the usual bunch of nodding heads waiting for lunch and evening
cocktails, let us call established speakers from investigation agencies, other
government departments, legal firms, tax specialists, families of seafarers
affected - and have them answer specific questions out in advance with people
from DGS present to counter the responses.

Let this conference/seminar be live on web, and let it be open to all. Let us
ask the YellowGate Police Station what THEY think about matters pertaining to
piracy, for example?

Today we have a regulatory body called the DGS who is not shy of attending
conferences and seminars everywhere else in the world - when did they last hold
one in India, a really good two-way one, on this subject?

I read day in and day out - of, we don't know who to deal with in the pirate's
lair. Oh, don't go to media. Oh, don't rock the boat. Oh, the shipping
agent/management company will cut off our monthly payments (as a few have done,
by the way, while the owners of these shipmanagement companies don't seem to be
suffering when they attend their CMMI meets in their luxury cars and gold decked
spouses . . .)

But I never hear from DGS for example, and maybe they should put it on their
website too:-

THIS is the agency responsible for such and such FOC flag, we are calling him
here to answer questions.

THIS is the real ship-owner we have issued him summons under our MSA/RP rules to
attend this enquiry.

THIS is the surveyor/inspector from our flag state who went onboard the ship and
said all is well but now the ship has sunk.

THIS is the shipmanager who did not provide proper anti-piracy measures on the
ship he sent people via RPS/DGS.

THIS is the person from DGS who placed a bond value of Rs 10000.oo per seafarer
onboard a foreign flag ship.

THIS is the Union official who has been in the seat for 30 years while
everywhere else terms are being restricted apropos IOA/CWG.

Tell you the truth, we can't even get our own DGS to reply to RTI Applications,
and have to drag them to CIC/Delhi for a response? (That's my own experience,
maybe DGS feels it is still, like INSA, fighting the Government of the day to
assist Indian shipowners - forgetting that the Government of the Day, for better
or for worse, is us?

+++

Conferences and seminars are fine - but the real issue is at home with our own
governance.

And if we have spare money, may I, once again, suggest it goes straight to the
families? Start with asking MNOA/Chandigarh and SAILORS HELPLINE/Kochi, two
organisations which are doing just that, going down to the basics, to give us
names and addresses - and then just get up and send a money order, put the
money in the bank account number, send a cheque, send a parcel with clothes,
send whatever.

+++

Humbly submitted.

Veeresh Malik

Will DG Shipping soon face the next DGCA kind of probe?

And why not, then, when the truth is known in every back-lane and side-lane near every port.

This article from today's MINT is self-explanatory:-

http://www.livemint.com/2011/05/05234419/DGCA-warns-staff-with-kin-in-a.html


DGCA warns staff with kin in airlines

Regulator bars officers from taking decisions about carriers where their wards work to avoid conflict of interest.


Can we start thinking about whether the DG Shipping, Mr. Agnihtori, would consider implementing something like this at the DG Shipping and other allied offices, to start with?

Prateek Rishi's story - a tribute to Capt. Prem Kumar of the RAK AFRIKANA

We all have a story. It is not only about where we came from, who or what our parents were, and what we or our families have become today.

But it often gets stuck there. That's OK, that's not our fault, but it is the fault of the day and age we live in.

Never mind. So, over the last few days, I've been digging deeper and deeper into the stories of people who were on the RAK AFRIKANA as well as the ASPHALT VENTURE. And I've received a fair number of telephone calls from people who I did not know before.

One, ofcourse, was a series of calls and eMails from the Big People at the Big House in Ballard Estate where it began for many of us, Directorate General of Shipping, DGS, Jahaz Bhavan. A few days after the demise of Captain Prem Kumar, and a few weeks after the big media circus on his return from the RAK AFRIKANA for which everybody from the Foreign Secretary to assorted politicians and union leaders and others took credit - they wanted to know where Prem's family lived so that they could condole.

Make what you want of this - but it just goes to show, there is no time or room for post episode debrief.  A seafarer dead and gone is a statistic. A seafarer who returns is an embarrassment. And one who returns and then dies is extra work.

I got quite a few other calls around the same time, in connection with the ASPHALT VENTURE, and what do I say - as one put it, if we had announced a cocktail party, hundreds of seafarers in and around Delhi would have made it, but to visit and offer simple moral support to the families of the ASPHALT VENTURE detainees - see DGS above, an embarrassment and extra work.

Private and quiet salutes to the few who did reach across, especially the wives, thank you SC, TC, RK, PM, RR, and RR . . . and others.

But the call that really brought me back to my story was one from Prateek Rishi, from far away New York, and I shall reproduce one of his eMails below. It says it all, and it gives me the strength to place my next post in a few hours from now, even at the risk of curdling my own future story.

See, I have reached a point where my memories of being at sea have become bigger than the dreams I have of my future. That's kind of dangerous, the next step would be senility. So,  spent over a year getting my old ticket re-validated, and getting ready to go backl to sea - and now, by taking DGS head-on, am risking all that again.

Fair and square, if Indian seafarers have gone on ships through RPS companies, then the responsibility is with the DG Shipping to ensure their safety. If, on the other hand, the DG Shipping made conditions so lax and unethical that RPS companies could send Indian seafarers onboard ships which were registered behind the usual "care-of" kind of tax-haven FOC addresses, then that was and is certainly DG Shipping's fault.

And that's where this is heading for next - even if I risk my return to sea, as people tell me I am doing. But then, I would not be doing justice to my story, on why I chucked up sailing decades ago, right?

+++

If I were to sign on a contract of a foreign ship, I'd ask to see the anti-piracy measures the Company is taking, and how they are equipping their vessels that are going anyway near the South of Suez and the African East-Coast. The Shipowner/Charterer/Managers HAVE TO convince me with documentation, as to what measures would be taken when the vessel is hijacked and I am taken hostage and become a bait to torture. I'd simply like to see BAGS AND BAGS of money being handed over to my family for each form of torture I undergo, right from when that damn skiff comes within boarding distance of my ship and psychological torture begins. With each slapping, spitting, choking, pressure-point pushing, crushing, skin scalding, skin burning, burning of the balls, strangling, flogging, shoving, pushing, beatings, the money bags have to be flowing. The amount of money flowing to my family needs to be MUCH MORE than what the pirates are asking for. (By the way, all of the above torture methods were REPEATEDLY used on Capt. Prem Kumar.)

 

If this can not be done, then, weld some Automatic Weapons on the Port and Starboard Poop Deck and front of the accommodation bulkheads, under life-boats, and on the Focsle.

 

My 'Serang' will sew canvas covers for them and Cadets can stencil them. Put a freaking grease-nipple on it and my Mate will put it in his maintenance schedule. The guns should be on a separate electric circuit and firing should be controlled by the Ship's Authorized Users only. The guns should be Top four or 6 folks should be given the codes to open interlocks, load and fire the guns. The guns should be able to be panned and tilted and fired from the Bridge or Radio Room. CCTV should be able to show personnel around the guns and deck PA system to warn them of "Gunning Stations"!! Gun-sights should be interlocked with additional CCTV, remotely available to the Bridge, for targeting, aiming and firing.

I am asking for fixtures on the vessel that can not be carried around to settle a drunken brawl.

There should also be a couple of handguns in the Master's Safe.

These are active measures.

 

Passive measures would be having something like removable barbed, bladed, wire, installed along the ship's rail while at sea, or any other measures like high-voltage pulsating current, or whatever the design allows to afford active prevention of persons boarding the vessel.

Only then, would I sign on, onto a vessel!

It is EASY to fire a gun. Especially easy once you paint a picture of how you can be tortured when caught. Training for all this is easily available. Send a polite email to Somalia with a photo of the vessel. And then, "Bring 'em on!!"

 

I DON'T CARE, at this point, FOR THE CARGO, THE SHIP, THE CHARTERERS, THE SHIPOWNER, THE BANK, THE FLAG STATE, CLASS, LLOYDS, UNDERWRITERS, whatever. Any skiff coming within 50 yards of me and not declaring their intention, will be warned, my Owners/Charterers/Underwriters/Class etc. will be "informed", and threat will be awaited. I will be the first to fire - after reasons have been obtained and logged, and it has been determined (I determine, not the authorities sitting behind in front of a computer-screen!!) that firing was in the best interest of the Ship's crew and the vessel/cargo.

 

I'll die fighting, if need be. Not getting tortured. 

And remember those BIG payments to my wife ...

(It may all, then, be worth it!!)

Authorities don't have a consensus on the issue of piracy. The Bank, Shipowner and Charterers have their individual interests. Then there is somebody waiting for that crap that was made in China and is in that container, and somebody is waiting for his car to be offloaded so that he can drive it from the dealer and park it in his driveway. 

"Honey, I don't care for which car we drive or how much Chinese crap we have in our home! All I care for is seeing that you will be paid well enough in case I am not to come back, and that you'll be able to bring up our kids the way we had imagined. I know you'll need more than emails and phone-calls of condolences when I am gone. Flowers are not going to be enough to feed the family!!"

Aaah! Felt nice to write all the above!

 

For those who may worry about how I put bread on my table, rest assured, it has not been coming from Sea, since a long while now! Yeah! With an attitude like above, who'd offer me a contract, right?!!! However, I do have strong sentiments to the fraternity and really wish to see a sea-change in the Industry.

The community, as a whole, needs to do something together.

Really thinking, does it cost much to put 7 automatic guns on the vessel, and linking them to remotely aim and fire from the Bridge? At the going rate of approx. 3 Million dollars of ransom, plus the off-hire times, this retrofit, I can do for the Shipowner - for under 3 Million. Shipowners, are only playing the lotto by going in that area and hoping that their vessel will not get caught. Freight rates for that area have already been up by almost a couple of dollars per tonne. That covers CARGO - dumb, useless Coal, Iron Ore, Crude, etc. Nobody is talking of the Master - the one who'd get tortured, or his Crew!

Have a nice day, folks. Thanks for reading it through!

Prateek

 

 

+++

 

Thank you, Prateek, you put it better than I have been able to do in decades. And now, bring them on DGS . . . as we head towards something that will make the IOA, CWG and DGCA scams look like so much spray on deck. . .

Indian seafarers, Somali piracy - and what do we want the Government to do?

Distress call: Use multiple channels to free seafarers hostage to pirates

What can be done to help the seafarers, especially Indian seafarers?

The Indian Navy is doing a great job to provide protection for Indian vessels sailing in hostile waters. But there is much that other agencies, like intelligence agencies and shipping authorities must do deal with the scourge of piracy that is brutalising Indian seamen

Read on:-

http://moneylife.in/article/distress-call-use-multiple-channels-to-free-seafarers-hostage-to-pirates/15987.html

RPS guidelines on employers of seafarers - DGS rules - essential reading

For anybody in the business of commenting on Somali pirates, please do a 360 and read these rules as applicable to employment of seafarers, and try to work out who else are the pirates as far as seafarers are concerned.

It is easy to blame piracy, but let us look within, also?




http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/rules/ms_recruit_placement_seafarers_2005_Cov.htm

http://www.dgshipping.com/dgship/final/rules/ms_recruit_placement_seafarers_2005.doc

Defined - employer, bank guarantee amounts, and much more which the average seafarer just does not know about, to start with . . . consider this - from the day the aspirant seafarer answers her or his first advertisement on the subject of wanting to go to sea, how many pirates do they meet who take them for a ride?

Update on the RAK AFRIKANA

Of interest to Indian seafarers, since the ship is owned by Indian interests, and training onboard involved the Indian Government:- the RAK AFRIKANA, which was finally abandoned after she allegedly started sinking and the pirates left her in mid-March 2011, is apparently still very much afloat and drifting - last reported position 04-35N and 048-04E.

Meanwhile, there is talk that the whole thing is rapidly evolving into what appears to be a massive insurance scam, since also nobody knows really what cargo was onboard. Ras al Khaimah's position as a security threat is rapidly becoming clearer in the world, also, and there is rumour that the whole episode was an understanding between various parties.

The only sufferers were the seafarers onboard - who are being told to stay very very quiet about everything. If they talk, their compensation may suffer, their future may suffer, their sea-time assessment may suffer - and this is the real truth out there.

Where is the IMO on this? Maybe, they are in a meeting.

Nett nett:- no way seafarers can avoid sailing in piracy areas. However, ships need to have proper protection, which means safe citadels capable of withstanding atleast 7 days attack, and whatever more is possible. As well as reliable agreements for risk being taken back home.

Lok Sabha, Parliament, and Indian Shipping . . .

Lok Sabha is where matters of great importance are discussed and often also debated. In between other episodes, of course, which many of us see on television and most of us otherwise have no information about.

Now and then some questions and answers are also handled, to do with shipping.

Here is a sample from the recent past:-

The Government has been taking various steps from time to time for the growth of Indian tonnage. These include:-

(i) In order to create level playing field for the Indian Shipping Companies with their global counter parts, the Government has introduced Tonnage Tax regime in India since the year 2004. Further, the liberalized policy on ship acquisition has been introduced and acquisition of all types of ships has been brought under Open General License (OGL). Besides, 100% FDI has been permitted in ship acquisition and registration formalities of newly acquired ships have been simplified.

(ii) The Government of India has formulated the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP). It is a comprehensive programme aimed at various issues that need to be addressed to bring holistic growth in the Indian Shipping Industry. Under the NMDP, Shipping Corporation of India, the only Public Sector Shipping Company is in the process of acquiring a total of 76 new vessels with a total outlay of approximately Rs.15,000 crores, to be completed in phases till 2015. Of these, 22 ships have already been delivered and orders have been placed for construction of another 30 vessels.
The above information was given by the Minister of Shipping, Shri G.K. Vasan in Lok Sabha

So, now you know why Indian Shipping is still where it is.