CAPT FELINO D’SOUZA
I am a seafarer. I have sailed on different types of ships and with different nationalities over the past 25 years. When onboard, I deal with issues ranging from technical and operational matters to more sensitive issues related to health, safety and welfare of my crew members. What I have come to believe is that ships, however large or luxurious, will continue to be mere floating objects of steel, but a ship’s environment will be as good and as lively as her own crew. Happy crew naturally means a happy and productive ship. Seafarers are the greatest assetS of world shipping and rightly deserve the status of key workers.
Merchant shipping is very important for world trade, and so are the seafarers. Unfortunately, people outside shipping circles are not quite aware about the life onboard a ship and hence unable to appreciate issues affecting seafarers. If they did, I bet, thousands of seafarers wouldn’t be stranded at sea amidst the present Covid-19 crisis.
While India and several countries continue to remain locked down due to the pandemic, an estimated 1,00,000 seafarers are left helpless and hopeless at sea due to the suspension of flights by several nations. An equal number of seafarers are awaiting to join the ships. Shipping companies, IMO, shipping federations, seafarers’ unions have been pursuing the issue of return of these seafarers at various levels, but it appears that the gravity of the situation has not yet sunk into the minds of our decision-makers.
Let me come straight to the point. Life onboard is not easy! Seafarers go through a lot of physical and mental stress at work. Working 24x7 in shifts and extended overtime hours, sailing across different time and temperature zones and encountering the vagaries of weather take a toll on their biological clock and actual rest hours enjoyed. Entertainment facilities onboard, especially cargo ships, are very limited. In times of depression, they don’t have the privilege of immediate family comfort or psychological counselling. In case of illness at sea, they have to depend on the limited medical treatment available onboard until arrival at a port, and in serious cases evacuation could be days away. In the event of a family crisis, they cannot return home at short notice. Shore leave at ports depends on many factors. Their only contact with family is through short phone calls after work hours, and nowadays chatting within allowable call time and internet data. On cargo ships, the crew strength is generally not more than 21 persons... so there goes another limit for socializing. The recent 21-day lockdown in our country (now extended by another two weeks) appeared unbearable to many people despite the comfort of their homes and all associated privileges. Can you now imagine the condition of a seafarer who endures a relatively worse situation throughout his tenure lasting several months onboard? So would it be justified to let him continue onboard for even a day beyond his contractual obligation?
There is no doubt that Indian seafarers onboard merchant ships are presently in dire straits. Measures taken by our Government to protect the citizens should not impede the safe movement of key workers like seafarers who are required to operate the world’s merchant shipping fleet. There is an urgent need to open up air travel to bring back all Indian seafarers and create adequate quarantine facilities for them. It would be inhuman to leave them helpless onboard the ships at this time. Prolonging their stay could eventually jeopardize their mental well-being and that of their families who are equally traumatized.
I humbly request our Prime Minister Narendra Modi and our CM Pramod Sawant to urgently intervene and open up air travel to/ from India and create a safe corridor for the quick return of our seafarers. At the same time, there is a need to safely facilitate their outward movement to facilitate crew changes globally. We all look up to you with great faith and hope.
Meanwhile, as a fellow mariner, I humbly request the families of all affected Goan seafarers to exercise restraint at this time and allow the Government to take a favourable call in the interest of not just Goans, but all Indian seafarers. Any adverse outcome of your well-meaning actions this side could severely impact your dear ones, further jeopardizing their well being onboard. My fellow seafarers onboard, please stay calm. You are all in our prayers and we wish to see you home soon.
(The writer is a master mariner and a resident of Navelim)
