A withering life aboard a rusting ship

KOCHI, NOV 23: Horizon represents hope. But not to K M Muhammed of Kochi. For him, the disappearing of the skyline in the falling folds o...

KOCHI, NOV 23: Horizon represents hope. But not to K M Muhammed of Kochi. For him, the disappearing of the skyline in the falling folds of darkness means not just the end of a day, but draining of another grain of hope from an already dwindling stock.

Four summers and four winters have visited Kochi since Muhammed began guarding a ship on these coasts after it was orphaned by its parent company along with him. Ever since, she has become his second home and best friend.

While the vessel, MFV Sravanthi anchored at Q1 berth of the Cochin Port Trust CPT, is rusting at anchor, her guardian8217;s life is withering away. Ever since the company 8212; Hyderabad-based Bay Liners 8212; deserted him, Muhammed has not received his salary of Rs 4,000 per month. Currently, he is living at the mercy of his family whose sole breadwinner is his aged mother who works as a sweeper at the Customs House.

Muhammed leaves Sravanthi only for his bite. Though the port is guarded, he is apprehensive that boat-borne burglars would stripthe Japan-built ship of her costly electronic gadgets. 8220;But most of these equipment would not be in working condition as, like the ship, they too have been idling,8221; he says.

Tentacles of rust have reached the engine room and patches of stains run down her sides to disappear into the black water below. 8220;At this rate, nothing much will be left by the time she8217;s auctioned.8221;

Though auction will mean an end to their relation, Muhammed is awaiting that day. 8220;Not because it will relieve me of the watchman8217;s duty, but that I8217;ll get my pay arrears of Rs 3 lakh.8221; Also waiting for the auction are the officials of GAC Shipping India Pvt Ltd, agents of Sravanthi.

The company has been paying demurrage to CPT since the drama began. 8220;The amount will come around Rs 5 lakh,8221; says senior shipping manager V Sajith Kumar. But more than their loss, GAC officials are concerned about Muhammed. 8220;He8217;s too sincere. Had it been anyone else, he, probably, would8217;ve either left the ship or managed to compensate his loss byselling some equipment,8221; feels Sajith.

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Seeing the plight of Muhammed, the company helped him launch a legal fight against Bay Liners. First victory was in April 1997, when the court directed CPT to attach Sravanthi and to auction it. While the judgment brought cheers to GAC, it didn8217;t weigh the anchor of misfortune from Muhammed8217;s life.

His plea for payment was rejected by CPT on the grounds that he was not on its rolls. But the auction itself had to wait as the ICICI bank got a stay on it after they cited that Bay Liners had taken a loan of Rs 25 crore on Sravanthi. More than Rs 17 crore is still due and the liners has downed shutters unable to face international competition.

Sravanthi8217;s luck began fading after international buyers resorted to several unethical business tactics to slash tuna prices. Muhammed joined Sravanthi in June, 1994, and has accompanied her on many voyages into international waters going, at times, even up to South African shores in search of tuna shoals.

After Sravanthicalled on Kochi for bunkering in 1995, she didn8217;t leave this coast. The captain and three crew members continued on board till 1996. Then one by one they just left without informing each other till Muhammed was left alone.

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But the indefinite wait has not changed Muhammed8217;s routine. After an early dinner, he joins Sravanthi to sleep, dream and hope together in the company of lapping wavelets and shimmering backwaters.