NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), India’s maritime regulator, has banned 366 foreign-flagged vessels from employing Indian seafarers due to serious allegations involving the abandonment of sailors. These allegations include non-payment of wages, denial of compensation in cases of death or disappearance, undue hardships imposed on crew members, and lack of assistance in repatriating Indian seafarers.
This action has been taken as a violation of national maritime regulations and international obligations, according to the DG Shipping. The regulator has warned Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) holders against placing Indian seafarers on these vessels. In a circular addressed to RPSL companies and Indian seafarers, the DG Shipping categorized 278 vessels as “restricted” and marked 88 as “blacklisted.”
Furthermore, DG Shipping has instructed all RPSLs to report the details of Indian seafarers working on these vessels within the next 14 days. “In view of the grave violations of seafarer welfare, abandonment practices, and non-compliance with international conventions, the 366 vessels are hereby prohibited from engaging Indian seafarers through any RPSL company approved by DG Shipping with immediate effect, unless compliance with the foregoing provisions is duly ensured,” stated the DG Shipping in its official order.
