Merchant vessels arrested

More than four such vessels had slipped out of Mumbai Harbour in the wee hours of Wednesday to avoid being targeted. A few dozen ships are keeping off harbour limits to escape the boycott, ITF sources confirmed.

Geanbasu Constantin, master of the Kingston-flagged vessel M V Agios Vassilios, berthed at 15 Indira Docks, was not available to talk to ITF officials. Confirming this, Thomas Cherian of the Shipping Master’s office complained that he was trying to avoid government port officials as well. He surfaced only after two hours, and presented the documents for perusal after persuasion. There were 14 Indians onboard, but none of them were employed as per the ITF approved agreement. The vessel has been detained when reports last came in.

ITF inspectors later visited the Antigua and Barbuda flagged MV Flamingo in the inner anchorage of the harbour. The ship has been detained as the crew has not been paid wages for the last 20 months. Moreover, the owner has been trying to sell the vessel to avoid liabilities.

Said ITF inspector M Maruti, the inspections come in the light of the fact the percentage of world fleet registered in countries designated as FOC has increased from 5.6 percent to 46 percent in 1996. While there are about 81,000 ships worldwide employing 1234 million seafarers, there are only 4100 ships covered by ITF acceptable agreements employing about 62,000 seamen. This has led to a large number of marine casualties in the recent past, he added.