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Sailors caught between devil and the deep sea

C.B.S. Venkataramana

Among the many challenges seafarers face are piracy and the relatively new phenomenon of criminalisation of negligence or accidents involving them. “Piracy and criminalisation have become occupational risk sort of things, but we have to live with them in order to overcome them,” C.B.S. Venkataramana, Joint Director General of Shipping in the government of India, tells S. Anandan in a tête-À-tête.

India, like many countries, is trying to address piracy through convoy approach, by sending naval warships. Currently, four Indian Navy vessels are operating off the pirate-infested Somali coast. “We are coordinating with other naval powers. The idea is to have a concerted effort to prevent acts of piracy. There have been occasions when Indian Naval ships have gone to the aid of French merchant ships and vice versa. The ultimate solution is to take care of the post from where pirate ships are launched. That, however, is not immediately feasible,” he says.

The limitation, however, is that a considerable number of naval vessels would be required to make the operation successful. “It takes four days for a ship to travel from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. Assuming that everyday one convoy starts in the morning and one in the evening—two convoys per day from either side—you have 16 convoys each, meaning 32 warships carrying helicopters would be required to make it foolproof,” says Mr. Venkataramana.

Till now, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions have been authorising individual countries to take measures to control piracy. But, it has been felt widely that it would be more practicable and much more feasible if the UNSC authorises a joint force under the leadership of one major power for the job, he says.

On the question of criminalisation, Mr. Venkataramana thinks that it is left to each littoral country to create its own laws.

“Very little can be done about it. Criminalisation of negligence or involvement poses a problem”, he says. Citing the case involving oil tanker Hebei Spirit, whose Indian officers are being tried in South Korea for causing oil spill, he says: “There was no negligence on the part of our officers. I understand that while this tanker was at anchorage, a smaller vessel belonging to a Korean company was going by. Its anchor rope or something broke off and hit the tanker, causing the oil spill. To save their backs, they threw the blame on our officers.”

There may be problems, but this is one sector that is fast growing.

“There is a huge potential for employment in the maritime, particularly shipping, sector. Indian officers are looked upon very highly for being dependable and hard working.”

On the ship-building industry, Mr. Venkataramana says it is an extremely capital-intensive industry in which early starters have made a niche for themselves.

“To start with, the ship-builders for the entire world were European countries, the United Kingdom, Spain; the Scandinavian countries, Norway and Sweden; and after World War II, Japan and South Korea went in a big way and have become ship-builders to the entire world.

It is such an industry where one country cannot build for oneself, as the numbers required would be too small. But we have to invest more in the sector as it has a huge employment potential.

Our shipyards at Kochi, Vizag, Mumbai and Kolkata are improving upon capacity.

There is a need to do more value additions because even if ships are built here, the vital parts, engines, the steering equipment, and the like are brought from outside. The silver lining is, some of the top companies are setting up shop here to produce these for local supply and export,” he wraps up.

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