30,000 Indian Seafarers, Stuck At Various Ports, Wait For MEA's Plan To Bring Them Home

They are in a water lockdown. There is only the blue sea to look out to for 30,000 Indian seafarers, who are stuck in their ships at ports in the most COVID-19 affected countries like the US, UK, Italy and Spain. Those who were stranded in the high seas when the national lockdown was announced have no idea how or when they will come to the shores to their families.

The Ministry of External Affairs is yet to announce a plan to get the seafarers back home. The standard operating procedures (SOPs) about how to bring them to India from wherever they are stuck, how to do their medical check up once they arrive, whether any quarantine is required post their tests are all yet to be worked out.

“After serving their contract of three-four months when the seafarers were suppose to enter the shore, their landing has delayed because of lock down. Being out in the sea with no news of when they can go home has heightened the mental stress in them. The government should take urgent steps to get them back so that they can be replaced by those waiting on shores,” says Abdul Gani Serang, General Secretary, National Union of Seafarers in India (NUSI), said,

India has about 2 lakh seafarers working on ships. These ships are from merchant navy which transports bulk cargo like crude oil, metals and ores and other dry cargo like chemicals. Then there are the luxury cruise liners. Those who are stranded in the sea include both managerial level officers as well as the ratings, plus cooks, waiters, housekeeping staff, electricians, carpenter and so on.

“The lack of clarity on the issue of bringing back the stranded seafarers is hurting the community deeply. Till March 18, when foreign flights were allowed to come to India, the government had given two options to passengers arriving in India; to get quarantined in a hotel earmarked for the purpose, the cost of which will be borne by them, or to get quarantined in the hospital which was free of cost. Similar options can be worked out for seafarers. But the problem is that the delay in releasing SOP is worsening the situation for our people,” says Captain Shiv Halbe, CEO, Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA). They say when the government in this time of emergency has accorded the status of essential services to transport workers like truck drivers, cleaners, railway staff and other, those working on ships should also be given priority.