THE WOMAN SEAFARERS ARE SAFE ?

THE WOMAN SEAFARERS ARE SAFE?

 

                An unexpected help request from a woman seafarer working as second officer at an well known  approved  Honkong based with 110 years experienced  ship management company having more than 400 ships and 7000 seafarers with lots of awards and accreditation, themselves claims that pioneers of maritime world and seeing seafaring as career not as job, is noticed the difficulties of woman seafarer and lead to  this article

The incident as on her words that she has an professional friction with chief engineer officer on ship, also he always passing sarcastic comments to her which was ignored by her. on a day during bunkering the chief engineer used abusive words on walkie talkie the same aired which heard all crew members on duty, next day afternoon the officer shouted to her in front of  master and duty AB at bridge and followed  a heated argument between both.at the time the master sent down the AB

                Quoted same incident she complained to the master against chief engineer, but as keeping good relation to the chief engineer the master didn’t responded to the complaint, the despised  lady officer complained to her company regarding the incident along with chief officer, third officer and duty seaman’ s signed statements

                The responsible fleet personnel may found difficulties to deal the issue diplomatically or to take action against chief engineer officer they decided to sack easily available second officer rather than take action on precious chief engineer. And company signed off second officer without a notice and  reason and this is reported to her just 12 hrs before the departure. Getting notice the lady contacted to office and requested to not signed off at lome, Togo .the African port which is critical in crime rating, all requests are vain they signed off as they planned and relieved from the anchorage and sent her by a boat. The boat left her at jetty unattended. At  jetty few guys came and started pictures and throwing comments to them at beginning and at last molested her. by god’s grace she escaped from there and reached Mumbai on her office and described to the office what she suffered . the great company officials response was “its quiet normal and it can happen anywhere”.

                Its embarrassing the master and companies irresponsible action as the company and ship following Maritime Labour Convention, and challenging their power above all rules regulation and administration, the stake holders hold on the administration and the relationship  between the company bearers and office bearers of the administration knowing lady officer hesitates to complain this issue to grievance officer and first appellate authority as her passion to the career, if any compliant to the administration she fears her dreams will cremated, will lose jobs from current and other company and also affects her future examination. these are the advice what she got from the industry, and she pointing out whats the favorable action to common seafarer from the administration which her company has stake. all the way the seafarer is suffers

               

                The era we are passing the united nation and its counterpart International maritime organisation, International labour organisation and  all flag state administration are promoting woman’s participation in seafaring and giving special consideration to securing equal access in men and woman in all sectors of shipping. the Busan declaration on 2013is underlined this. the above said incident is require special attention to all administration to be keenly  checked where our woman seafarers are safe, secured and facing any discrimination at their work, taking seriously above incident all the administrations and rule makers to be provide special task and  instructions to the companies and administrations during signing on/off ,work spot they should not be exploited and revenged, attention to be provided and tracked them continuously at their tenure after leaving home and back. it should included one of the responsibility of the company to brought back the woman seafarer safely at her home.