Seaferers can expect changes

Seafarers can expect change in India

1. Jobs are expected to rise by 20% this year and it will mainly be from cruise line. Presently estimated 3 Lakh Indian Seafarers are employed, about 1 lakh on leave and estimated 10,000 facing unemployment / delayed ship joining. Unemployment remains high for fresher GP Rating, Trainee Marine Engineer and BSc Deck Cadets. Reason for this is,  sponsorships are not compulsory for pre Sea courses except for DNS cadet course and Placement records of many pre sea training Institute as approved by DG Shipping are unknown to citizens of India. Placement records are not displayed by MTIs on their website.

2. Gas carrier ( VLGC) experienced Seafarers wages will see increase up to 10% , other main fleet will see wage scale same as last year and offshore sector Seafarers may see a drop of 10% in wages’ 4/E and 3/O will continue to have long waiting and struggle / face problems for placement. Same for 3rd engineer with Class 2 Motor. Seafarers are advised to do their certificate of Competency exams upon completion of their Sea time. Below are Indian /UK / Singapore/ Ireland/ Australia and NZ COC.

Dry fleet per month salary:

·       Master and C/E - USD 7800 - 10,000 (high demand and sufficient availability)

·       C/O & 2/E - USD 4200 - 7200. High demand and sufficient available

·       ETO - USD 4000 average. Trainee ETO will have good employment this year. Sufficient available against good demand.

·       2/O & 3/E - USD 2400 - 2800. Not much in demand and large availability

·       3/O & 4/E - USD 2200. Large unemployment. Over supply. One job and four applicants available.

Indian Ratings will see good employment this year

·       AB/ Oiler / Motorman - High demand for COP holders with good experience of 5 ships. USD 1200 - USD 1700. Additional skills for the job will matter. 

·       OS/ Wiper - USD 600 - 1000. Oversupply now and for one vacancy there are 10 candidates available.

·       Cook and Steward- Good employment for them as they are in demand. Special skills required for continued employment. Cook wages will remain same as AB whereas fresher/ Trainee Cooks and Stewards will get employment without delay.

Tankers and Gas Carrier-

This year Vetting inspection & Terminal requirements will see more thrust on matrix as well as skills / Training. Wages will remain same as last year on such ships except that C/O rank on Chemical Tanker and Gas carriers may see rise of 10% wages this year. Below are average monthly wages for Indian Seafarers.

Capt. and C/E - USD 14000

C/O and 2/E - USD 9800

2/O and 3/E - USD 3100

3/O and 4/E - USD 2200

ETO. - USD 5200

Gas Engineer- USD 5000 - 8000. High demand but few available

Pump man will be in big demand as supply is less.

One change - Many ships will employ Oilers who have fitter skills also. This welding, gas cutting and machinist skills will be required for Oiler / Motorman. Otherwise Marine Fitters must learn Motorman job and acquiring COP III/5.

NEW SHIPS / YARD DELIVERY WILL SEE LESS CREW ON BOARD AND NO 4/E RANK, NO CADETS ANS MAY BE ANY ETO. NEW TECHNOLOGY WILL BE THE BIGGEST CHANGE AND CHALLENGE TO ADAPT.

·       Offshore and Rigs - There's oversupply of Seafarers and wages may fall by 10 - 20% for officer ranks. Cruise line- expected to grow fastest for Indian Seafarers and wages to remain same as 2019. Good supply and good demand continues for Indian Seafarers.

·        Biggest challenge to seafarers on ships will be piracy in West Africa and Singapore Strait. Also ship arrest by Iranians will rise in Hormuz strait on the charges of oil smuggling

·        Stranded Seafarers in UAE, Malaysia, India or Seafarers abandoned by Ship Owners: Last year more than 3000 Indian Seafarers faced such a situation. This year it is expected to fall as DG Shipping and flag states have started the strict implementation of Blue card PNI certificate and onboard Seafarers revoking financial security from insurance company.

·       Human Rights at Sea will be see highest level of discussion and IMO may take up more changes to MLC 2006/ Fair treatment for Seafarers. NGOs and Seafarers Unions will be very, why active.

·        Training: Good News. DG Shipping will implement e-learning and exit exams for all DGS approved courses at Maritime Training Institutes. This means online blended training will start by March 2020. This will help Seafarers with better learning and confirmed attendance. This means all STCW certificates will be issued by DG Shipping online to Seafarers after completion of the course and online exit exams. Same as COP & DCE for Indian Ratings.30, 000 Indian Seafarers are already registered with e-learning for COC exams on DG Shipping website 

·        Examination system for Certificate of Competency: No changes expected at DG Shipping and the present credible system will continue.

·        Seafarer’s Identification Document (SID) will be issued to more than 200,000 Seafarers this year. It was started in July 2019 and to date about 15,000 issued.

·        Online Grievance Redressed for onboard Seafarers: more than 200 cases are getting lodged every month by Seafarers against RPSL companies. This year DG Shipping is expected to issue new guidelines to Seafarers for lodging grievance.

·        Recruitment and Placement Service License companies- They will see the biggest change. DG Shipping expected to start a new compliance management system for them including the Comprehensive Inspection Program (CIP) which will grade each Recruitment company. Those compromising e-governance data on ships and Seafarers may face immediate shut down of their service for some period till corrections are made. Thus training of office staff and knowledge of Top Management of 412 RPSL agents will be the biggest challenge. Shipping companies Association such as IMF, INSA, ICCSA, FOSMA, and MASSA have big jobs in hand. Those companies not part of any association may find it difficult to participate in policymaking and compliance upgrades.