CHENNAI: A chief engineer of a merchant ship whose contract expired four months ago has been forced to continue with his work in MV Viswa Jyothi, a Shipping Corporation of India's vessel, despite his plea to be relieved.
According to sources, this is a violation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) of 2006.
K Sreekumar of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) told TNIE that the sailor had only a four-month contract with the firm and the agreement expired on July 3, 2022.
“He is being forced to sail by the manning agent Pentagon Marine Services in Mumbai without a contract despite pleas by the chief engineer to relieve him as he is finding it difficult to walk due to cellulitis on his left leg,” said Sreekumar.
His Article of Agreement with the Director General of Shipping, which focuses on the rights, duties and terms of employment of seafarers and the obligations of ship owners, also got expired on August 27, 2022.
The issue cropped up at a time when Seafarers Rights International (SRI) initiated a survey across ports around the world from November 1, 2022, to November 25, 2022, to gauge the progress of the implementation of MLC 2006.
Notably, the engineer’s representations to the Principal Officer, Mercantile Marine Department, Chennai, and Shipping Master, Chennai, explaining his health conditions and the expiry of his articles were ignored as the port inspectors did not board the vessel to verify the complaint.
When TNIE contacted Ajithkumar Sukumaran, Principal Officer-cum-Joint Director General of Shipping (Tech), MMD Chennai, he said he would ask officials to take action. But no action has been taken.
Sources said ITF intervened on behalf of the chief engineer after he sought help. Sreekumar said it was the immigration department which intervened and sought an undertaking that the sailor would be relieved at Paradip. Capt.
Prashant Kumar Sahoo, Deputy General Manager I/c (Fleet Personnel) told TNIE said the chief engineer could not be relieved as they could not find his replacement during the festival season. “We will relieve him at Paradip Port.”