Lok Sabha Question No. 4171 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-18
Subject: Treatment of Seafarers
Ministry: SHIPPING
Asked by: Santosh Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SHIPPING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4171

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18IH JULY, 2019

## TREATMENT OF SEAFARERS

## 4171, SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR:

Will the Minister of SHIPPING be pleased  to state: qlacfud-flri*

- (a) the details of foreign seafarers  held captive in our  jails  along with the status  of their cases;
- (b) whether lndia is pursuing  with IMO convention  on "Fair Treatment  of Seafarers" and if so, the details thereof;
- (c  ) the details  of lndian and Foreign ships abandoned by the seafarers in lndian economic zones during the years 2018 and 2019;
- (d) the action taken against the owners of these  ships;
- (e) the details  of lndian seafarers reported missing or dead during service on Merchant  ships during the said period; and
- (0 the details of compensations  released till now to the victims' families  along with the unsettled claims in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR SH]PPING (SHRI MANSUKH MANDAVIYA)

- (a) Data on foreign seafarers held captive in our jails  is not maintained by the Ministry  of Shipping.
- (b) IMO resolution on  'Fair Treatment of  Seafarers' are  guidelines of recommendatory  nature. The ILO's Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006,  is a mandatory convention, related  to fair treatment of seafarers. lndia has ratified, MLC 2006 and has promulgated  Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour) Rules, 2016.
- (c) Except  one instance of M.V. Tag Navya owned by M/s Tag Offshore Limited (lndian Flag), where all the crew have disembarked  the vessel at Mumbai  Port on the instance of an order of the Hon'ble Bombay High Court dated 15 05.2019, the Government  has not come across any issue regarding Indian and Fclreign ships abandoned by the seafarers  in lndia economic zones during the year 2018 and 2019.

- (d) Does not arise.
- (e) The number of Seafarers reported  Dead or Missing during service on Merchant Ships during 2018 and 2019 is given below.
- (0 The number of cases where compensation has been released in case of Death or Missing  seafarers in 2018 and 2019 is given below:

|   S.No. | Particulars              |   Year 2018 |   Year 2019 |
|---------|--------------------------|-------------|-------------|
|       1 | Seafarers reported Dead  |          36 |          14 |
|       2 | Seafarers reported Missi |          13 |          09 |

Source: DG (Shipping)

|   S.No. | Particulars                            |   Year 2018 |   Year 2019 |
|---------|----------------------------------------|-------------|-------------|
|       1 | Compensation released in Death cases   |          16 |          05 |
|       2 | Compensation released in Missing cases |          01 |          05 |

Source: DG (Shipping)

ln the balance  45 unsettled  cases, the compensation  is pending  for the following reasons:

- i) For want of Flag State lnvestigation  report from concerned  foreign states;
2. ii,) Due to dispute amongst next of kin of the deceased (in one case).
3. ii) For want of requisite  request  from Next of Kin for issuance of presumed death certificate (in two cases);