PH Krishnan, deputy director-general of shipping, speaks on the high stress levels and disasters at sea to Anupam Dasgputa.
PH Krishnan, deputy director-general of shipping, speaks on the high stress levels and disasters at sea
Every-time there is an accident (now mv Rezzak has gone missing off the Turkish coast) on the high seas, there are theories about how high-stress levels among sailors act as a contributing factor to the disasters. Is there a direct correlation?
Yes, there is. Sailors on board merchant vessels remain on the high seas for six months at a stretch. Internal surveys have revealed that there is a high degree of fatigue among a 16- or 17-member ship crew. Also, there is a dearth of effective co-ordination and communication among the crew as they come from various ethnic backgrounds.
All the above factors cumulatively lessen response capabilities in the sailors in times of emergencies, leading to the heightened possibility of disasters due to poor manoeuvring and navigation of the ship.
Any specific initiative on the part of the directorate to combat and reduce stress levels of sailors?
Some steps are being taken to address temporary psychological disorders in sailors. We believe tailormade psychological counselling sessions for them are the need of hour. This is because most of them lead the life of a recluse during the many months they are out at sea.
Is there anything else that is being done in this regard?
Most foreign countries don't allow merchant vessels to berth at their ports — a ship is asked to anchor at least 10 nautical miles off the port area. This has an adverse impact on the minds of our sailors as they are denied even the most basic recreational activities.
What role does the Directorate-General of Shipping play these days so far as merchant ships are concerned? And where does the agency figure if there is an accident or disaster?
We are the nodal authority as far as certifying merchant ships, ports, and crew members are concerned. Any merchant ship — Indian on foreign — in Indian waters comes under the ambit of the DG, shipping. And the Port State Control (PSC) report (calibration of the technical soundness and sea-worthiness of any vessel) too is issued by us. The Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, has provisions for them.
Now we are also ratifying minor ports across the country. And we are the sole investigating agency in the event of mishaps and disasters on the seas.
What about compensation paid to sailors’ families when there is a mishap?
The manning or personnel hiring agency (for any ship) should ideally pay 33 months' salary to the sailors' family or kin in the event of a disaster. A senior crew member earns around Rs5 lakh a month.
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