Shipping bodies to form 'task force' for seafarers

Representatives of various Indian shipping associations have come forward to form a 'task force' to work towards increasing the global share of Indian seafarers, Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) has said.
The objective of the task force would be to deal with and create a conducive environment to increase the global share of Indian seafarers to over 9 per cent from current 7 per cent, a statement issued by MASSA here yesterday said.
The various shipping associations who have come forward for the initiative include MASSA, Maritime Union of India (MUI), National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) and Foreign Owner and Ship-Managers Association (FOSMA).

The force will primarily deal with Mumbai-based Directorate General of Shipping, it said.
"With our task force coming into being, we are going to put forward various incentive measures, suggestions and actions required to raise the bar of Indian seafarers' performance, besides how to restructure maritime examination systems in India," MASSA chairman Captain Prashant Rangnekar said.
"India with 12 per cent of the world's population has just 7 per cent of the seafarers market while Philippines with just 2 per cent of the world's population has grabbed 20 per cent global share. There are about 1,30,000 Indian seafarers who serve cargo ships across the globe currently," the release stated.