Cut off from family and friends, and cut off from the shore visible at a stone’s throw from him, a seafarer is indeed a very lonely man going through his routine job day after day, thanks to ISPS. These days, the stay at a port is very short and the seafarer has no time to “stand and stare”. This makes it necessary to provide seamen with a facility for visiting the shore within this short stay, keeping in mind that he needs to do some maintenance work as well.
A seaman has the burden to complete a plethora of paper work that leads to a world of wastage of paper and printing ink. In the year of seafarer, we need to reduce this burden as well as wastage.
A seaman is constantly under the stress of bumping into a PSC (port State Control) inspector at each port. Just a few months ago, an inspector happened to spot my oil record book in one of the ports. And on seeing an entry, “C 12.4”, he exclaimed: “I have never seen any evaporation earlier!” I had to use all my diplomatic skills to come out of a possible harassing situation — explain things and convince him without offending him. Had I failed to do so, I would have been fined, surely.
Earlier, only three documents were enough for a seafarer. But these days he has to carry 17-18 certificates along with him. Last time I submitted as many as 15 documents to my company for verifying, and when you submit so many of them chances are that you may lose one or two, easily.
Every flag state has its own CDC and COC, which have earned a bad name. Two years ago, I personally had a bitter experience with the flag state CDC. But seafarers have been meek servers for long and lack the courage necessary to raise their voice against all this. They are constantly haunted by the fears of failing at the test.
In the year of seafarer, let us also vow to reduce the weight of briefcase a seafarer carries. There is no justification for endless Visas, as a seaman cannot join or sign off at a short notice. I remember an instance when an officer lost his mother but could not sign off from the port because he required to serve a seven-day notice. At another port, another seaman could not sign off because the validity of his passport was less than three months. They were to just go home and nowhere else.
It is heartening to have an opportunity when a seafarer is remembered! Hopefully, all the burden on him will be reduced, and also he will be recognized as a hardworking man and not an offender.
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) made seamen and ships soft targets of rules and regulations. We feel happy when a ship goes to China as we can discharge sludge free — and even get paid for it — and obtain a certificate. All major ports need to have similar facilities.
Further, we surely were better off without STCW, which has only perpetrated malpractices. We have marine colleges that have no provision for skill development and no faculty. Numerous marine colleges were approved by DGS, some of which are even not traceable. Few of them are worth visiting and studying in. There are others that openly advertise for a course, “Arranged”, and one wonders if these colleges have obtained the necessary approval for conducting a course. Onboard training seems more sensible. It is about selecting the candidates, putting them onboard under a master, chief engineer, and Bosun. This is how they learn. It is unbelievable to see ship in campus. But then, a majority of faculty are ashore for 40 years and they just have no idea.
It is hoped that all these things will be addressed and a seafarer can go back to his work, free from undue tension.
Charter parties, which were carved out years ago, have served well. But now time has come when at least a day is set aside for maintenance work without the ship going off on hire. An express provision needs to be made to this effect.
There is a mad rush to frame rules without even understanding them. In the Year of Seafarer, let rollback of these rules begin. Also, today, main engine, deck machinery, etc have become secondary, while Oil Record Book has become all important: 11.1, 12.2,13.3, then why not 11.1/11.2/11.3? If you forget to put a slash, you become vulnerable to fine.
It is just an arm-twisting tactic of PSC inspectors to make most of the situation. In the Year of Seafarer, all this must begin to end. Interestingly, a few years ago, in Mumbai, a PSC inspector was arguing that a particular pump was a bilge pump and not a sludge pump simply because he saw it that way in some other ship. I would say maritime trainers must have a one-year sea service in their last 5 years.
I found Japanese inspectors and superintendents to be very cooperative and cheerful. I happened to drydock a Japanese ship in January this year; the attending superintendent was director of the company. He invited me to come to the workshop and picked up two cycles: one he started riding happily like a school boy and the other he gave to me. Let us restore simplicity, broad smile, and hardworking ways to seafarers for which they have always been known.
Earlier, the seamen club bus used to come up to the ship at 1800 hrs and was back at 2200 hrs. So, it was very convenient and exciting to visit the club. But these days, the port stay has become very short and the facility to go ashore has simply vanished. Recently, we were at Charleston and the shore was very close to us, but we were not allowed to walk up to the gate and instead needed a taxi. As no taxi would come for such a short distance, we were forced to go longer and we could return only just before boarding of the pilot.
At Malmo, we had a weekend but to go to the gate it takes about a 45-minute walk, skirting all fences. We also, one cannot bring a taxi inside. So, on return one has to walk back again. However, the facility at Bremerhaven was much better: a shuttle bus up to the gate. I hope that in the coming year of seafarer, better facilities will be provided for seafarers to visit the shore easily. Also hope greater facilities for free discharge of sludge be provided at least in major ports in order to eliminate marine pollution, thereby benefiting the seafarer.
Until now we only have medical testing facilities for seamen like before they join the ship. There is a need to provide medical facilities like check-ups at reasonable rates, yoga, Ayurvedic and homeopathic treatments and medicines on showing ID at designated medical centres, etc.
The idea is to have a positive and proactive approach towards health of seamen rather than merely checking (reactive/ negative) prior to boarding a ship.
This aspect needs to draw a greater attention of maritime training institutions. It will be great if a doctor comes on board and checks blood pressure or sugar levels. Seamen are ready to pay if such facilities are provided.
If a seaman’s medicine finishes, he cannot get it without a prescription by US doctor. But the cost of merely meeting a doctor in the US is very expensive at $125. So a doctor coming on board will be a blessing for seamen.
There are a number of such issues related to seamen that deserve attention and solutions, and I think ‘the Year of Seafarer’ gives us the right opportunity to take a fresh and serious look at them to do the needful.
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