'Security system should be set up for abandoned seafarers'

A PIL in Madras High Court has sought a direction to authorities concerned to establish a mandatory security system for abandoned seafarers, with supply of food, water and diesel oil to the abandoned ships.
It also wanted creation of a fund from contributions from ships touching Indian ports for the purpose of helping such seafarers with food, water and diesel oil and payment of their wages as well as their repatriation costs.
It further sought a direction to authorities to enforce flag state responsibilities effectively through port state control/Mercantile Marine Department and to liberally permit shore passes for abandoned seafarers to overcome their stress in the outer anchorage without seeing the shore indefinitely.

The PIL filed by K Sreekumar, Secretary of Seafarers' Port Welfare Association, Chennai, submitted that despite years of unprecedented prosperity in the shipping industry and international guidelines designed to prevent abandoning of seafarers, they are still being abandoned in many ports all over the world.
According to International Labour Organisation statistics approximately 1000 Ships and 1,50,000 seafarers and fishers are believed to have been abandoned between 1990 and 2006.
When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, the bench comprising Acting Chief Justice and Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar ordered issue of notice to the respondents.