Indian Merchant Navy Officers and Crew are found employed on ships from different Country's owned by International Owners and paid wages in various currencies. Akin to the sport of Cricket, so also in Shipping, most of the "Maritime Rules and Regulations" were initially legislated in England, the pioneers of "International Maritime trade".

Today, in 2008 India produces one of the largest number of sea-farers and crew, yet the mingling of "International Cultures"  in exchanging personal views or life-styles seems at a minimal barring shipboard duty's.

I accidentally found a shipping site www.shipnostalgia.com while using google search engine for shipping tycoon Mr Ravi Tikkoo and was astounded at the interaction between British ships employees and ex-employees.

I registered onto the site and found to my surprise and embarrassment  of being the only Indian nationality on the website posting blogs, a surprise since "B.P Tankers" ,  a popular employee company alone  employs a huge Indian shipping staff as also the "Cruise ships" which employ a lot of Indian crew. 

I happened to connect to my Dad's (Ex-Cargo Supervisor , B.I Shipping[ Mackinnon Mackenzie , Kenya]) retired sailing staff and was amazed to learn that a retired Deck officer recognised his  staff even after 35 to 30 years,remembering my late dad and his co-staff, an era where "Shippies" irrespective of rank or nationality co-existed as a sailing family.

Whats the reason for an absense of "Indian Bloggers" on the International shipping wesites? Are we most comfortable blogging on "INDIAN WEBSITES" amongst Indian Readers?

Thanks to the invention of the "INTERNET", geographical boundaries have been abolished and any foreigner can view "ww.SeaFolks.Com" and vice-versa.

Please visitwww.shipnostalgia.com to get a feel of the pioneers of the shipping Industry and an "International opinion" without blinkered fobia's.

                                               Regards,

                                                           Rudolph.A.Furtado