"Stolt Valor" has finally been freed from the clutches of pirates with a undisclosed ransom and front page media sensationalism. "Gommorah" by 28 year old Roberto Saviano is  a true account of Mafiaso crime in Naples  and  a best-seller ,setting of death threats against the author. In the shipping Industry its strange that not a single sailor has ever written a true life account of either their experiences or the shady world of piracy, the "Soddom" of shipping. Indian sea-farers are one of the most literate in the trade having mastery over the english language and manning some of the World's largest and costliest ships,latest being "STOLT VALOR". "Soddom" would definitely be a hit if properly researched and written, without fear of "JOB LOSS" or "Social Ostracism". Capt Goel, we are awaiting the "Soddom Diaries" of you and your crews imprisonment by Somali pirates as "Bloggers Inc" and Madam Goel  on "Terra Firma" helped in your release from pirate bondage.

The Hindi film Industry has suddenly discovered "GAYS" as a source of entertainment revenue , a topic considered "BLASPHEMOUS" upto 1990's barring a few "CELIBRITY GAY INDIANS".

Do "GAYS' exist in the Indian Merchant Navy? "A wife at every port" was the common mantra of the lonely existence of the average sailor undergoing long voyages of a month or few weeks  and seeking solace in alien lands with " One night stands".

With the absence of intermingling with women its quite certain that manny sailors could have experimented "Gay sex" on ships,yet the admission of being  "GAY" was akin to a professional  "Death Sentence". Hostels and regimented Institutions having same sex inmates are prone towards "Homosexuality or Lesbianism", a proven fact.

Are "CONFIRMED GAYS" admitted or employed in the Indian Merchant Navy?

Please don't confuse non-gay bachelors with gays as is the common misconception of any "UNMARRIED MALE OR FEMALE" in Orthodox Indian society.

Manny gays get married and call themselves "BISEXUALS" having the best of both World's, a few reform while others remain proudly as "CELIBRITY GAYS".

What about the "FACE IN THE CROWD" Indian Merchant Navy Gay?

Would he ever be allowed to work on board ships withourt raising "Passtime gossip' or worse "Social boycott'?

I must have opened a very relevant 21st century debatable topic.

Thanks to "BLOGGING" and the print and telivision media for creating "PIRACY AWARENESS" and hence  the Indian Government showing its might to the puny "Somali Pirates" in the form of the "Indian Navy". The Indian Navy was responsible for rescuing a Saudi Arabian as well as "Great Eastern shipping" vessel in the Gulf of Aden on 10/11/08 from the dreaded Somali pirates. a few more "ENCOUNTERS" with the pirates by formidable navy's could finish the business as losses would be more than profits, simple arithmetic.

As for the "BLOGGING COMMUNITY",we are effective as the "PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD".

Folks, i have just returned from a "Holy Land Tour' to Cairo,Israel and Egypt and on returning was astonished to find that "M.V.Stolt" had totally disappeared from the "INDIAN NEWS RADAR".Ship piracy has existed prior to these two cases and in future more ships could become victims of piracy,but, these two ships were "HIGH PROFILE CASES" involving "PRIME MINISTERIAL LEVEL PROBES AND ASSISTANCE". Even with a "World-wide Reccession and Unemployment", the "Shipping Industry" is still having a deficiency of "SKILLED SHIPBOARD MANPOWER", reasons obvious to the average "HIGH SKILLED INDIAN WAGE-EARNER"."Money" is an important parameter of measuring life's success but definitely not at the cost of severe risks to one's own life or total callousness in times of assistance by the "Marine authorities" or "Government". Agreed, no profession is "Foolproof safe" from personal injury or economic collapse ,but , most "Land Based Industry's" at least have the benifit of being on "terra firma" and not at the mercy of Weather,Wind and piracy.Hope the situation improves, otherwise the shortage of "Skilled Shipboard Manpower" would be a eternal problem even in the World's second largest populated Country.

"Globalisation" has changed the entire commercial and work-culture of the "Shipping Industry" in the 21st century. the quote,"JOIN THE NAVY AND SEE THE WORLD" is obsolete in "Sea-Trading" akin to the eradication of "Horse-carriages" from motorized roads.  Today, salaries of "Shipping staff and Crew" have increased as also the reduction in "Manning Staff", hence a lack of "Shore Leave" on arrival at Ports. Introduction of  "Specialised cargo vessels" with average speeds of 20 knots have made "Tramp cargo Vessels" with average port stays of a few days to a month absolutely obsolete. The only consolation is that the increase in wages has made private travelling while on leave affordable to the average ship staff. The days of "FREE TRAVEL TOURS" as a perk of being employed in the "Shipping Industry" is akin to "Indian private airline pilots" being either rendered unemployed or working with drastic "PAY-CUT REDUCTIONS" in "Economic Apocalypse-2008".Fate and providence are strange partners.

Friends and Fellow  Mariners,

The "Stolk Valor" hijacking "Media News" seems to have gone "Cold" and my deepest sympathies to the "crew" of the vessel for being considered a "Dispensable commodity". Have we Sea-farer's brought these "State-of -affairs" on ourselves by our own petty squables and professional rivalries? Strange,"Sea-fare's" which form the elite professionals of the Indian work-force are given an absolutely callous view by the 'media" as well as "Government".

As they say, "Out of sight means out of mind", in a few weeks "Stolt Valor" will be part of "Shipping Disaster history", another casualty in the world's second largest populated Country.Hope i am proved wrong.

I have already signed a "PETITION" submitted by "Sea-Farers" to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 7/10/08(Thursday) at the Officers Seamans club at Bellard Pier.
I personally have experienced all the problems undergone by sea-farers like "Cyclonic storms","Water Shortages","Killer Engine room working conditions" and "Personal tiffs" barring "Personal hijacking".
A "Officers" or "Sea-Mans" life is one of the World's toughest professions and now with the addition of "SHIP PIRACY", "SEA-FARING" is a prime candidate for the "WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS PROFESSION".

P.S: THIS LETTER IS A REPLY TO THE ''ON-LINE PETITION" .

After ages visited the Mumbai Officers Marine club on 7/10/08(Tuesday) with my Mazdock colleague, reminiscing the "Good and bad Old Days!?", also pleased to observe that  the club has undergone a superb "Face-Lift".Pledged our "Sea-Farer's Thoughts" by signing a "Petition"  to the Prime Minister for the release of "Stolk Valour" crew  by pirates. There was a neat list of "sea-Faring jobs" on the "Bulletin board" and honestly, the "Officer's Marine Club" at Ballard Pier(Mumbai) is closely approachig Calcutta's club in etiquette and facilities, only luxury missing is a "Swimming Pool".

Hope a "Swimming Pool" is built on the premises in the future as there is ample space . Akin to "Defence Services Clubs",its time that  the "Merchant Navy Officer's Clubs" maintains a status befitting its importance and the public service of the universal "MERCHANT MARINER".

Hijacking of the "Stolt Valor" has once again focussed on the negative aspects of the "Indian shipping Industry", portraying the "Owners" as heartless "Non-Resident Sailors" and the "Sailors" as "Mercenaries", disposable people in a fiercly competitive "Hire/Fire Employment Industry".Every Industry has its "Corruption Index" and in the "Shipping Industry" its reasonably high due to various factors , a secret , as closely guarded by some sea-farers as is the "OMERTA " of the infamous "Godfather Movies".
Its only during "V.I.P Disasters" like the recently forgotten "M.V.Rezaak" sinking , or the present "M.V Stolt Valor" hijacking that eyebrows are raised at the Prime Ministerial level in India about the neglect and plight of sea-farers by the Industry Owners and the Government.
"Stolt Valor" is a specialised 5 year old "Chemical Tanker" and its "Captain" and "Chief Engineer"could be in the $'s 8000 +(approx Rs 3,60,000/Month[TAX-FREE]) salaried category, a salary higher than most "Captains of small-scale Industry's" in India,the elite of the shipping profession, hence, the ransom of $'s 2 Million indicating the total "Ship Crew Value" estimated by the "Hijackers".
At the extreme end are ships like "M.V.Rezaak",employing a majority of "Non-C.D.C Crew" kept afloat due to the "OMERTA" laws, only creating news when they either sink or are involved in "Shipping Accidents".
Sea-farers who don't possess the necessary "Directorate General of Indian shipping Documents" or "MEDICAL FITNESS CERTIFICATES"are indirect victims of their own professional handicaps and hence are either "Underpaid" or forced to sail on "Unseaworthy ships" by the "Owners" or "Shipmanagement Companies".
This problem is most prevelant amongst the "CREW" than the "OFFICERS RANKS" , ultimately ,employment being the priority over "Personal safety" or "Shipping wages parity".
The "Shipping Industry" has been the pioneer of introducing the "CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM" in India, hence few "Sailors" in the 21st century ever retire at the normal age of "65 years" or remain loyal to a particular company throughout their "Sailing Career". The Mantra of the average sea-going sailor is to try becoming either a "Lakhpati" or "Crorepati" in the shortest possible "Sailing Tenure", akin to a Cricketeer trying to get the maximum advertisement revenue during his short International cricketing career.
Its time that the average Indian sea-farer is recognised as a professional most involved in "International Trade" as well as "Foreign Exchange Income Earner", a noble profession requiring the toughest "Physical Fitness" as well as "Intellectual competence" rather tan a "Fly-By-Night Mercenary".
I myself come from a family having over 60 years of "SEA-FARING",and the "SOURCE" of our wealth was and is "SHIPPING". Having met, mingled , read and gossiped among various people from the "Shipping Industry" i would suggest reading articles by Capt A.K.Bansal (L.L.B Hons,London,Master Mariner, Bar-At-Law,Fellow, Indian Council of Arbitrators) for a scholastic reason for the problems plaguing the Indian Sea-farer in 2008 as well as its practical solutions.
P.S: I might be on a "HIT-LIST" of "Non-EMPLOYMENT"!?

Life in Somalia's pirate town

Whenever word comes out that pirates have taken yet another ship in the Somali region of Puntland, extraordinary things start to happen.

There is a great rush to the port of Eyl, where most of the hijacked vessels are kept by the well-armed pirate gangs.

People put on ties and smart clothes. They arrive in land cruisers with their laptops, one saying he is the pirates' accountant, another that he is their chief negotiator.

With yet more foreign vessels seized off the coast of Somalia this week, it could be said that hijackings in the region have become epidemic.

Insurance premiums for ships sailing through the busy Gulf of Aden have increased tenfold over the past year because of the pirates, most of whom come from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

In Eyl, there is a lot of money to be made, and everybody is anxious for a cut.

Entire industry

The going rate for ransom payments is between $300,000 and $1.5m (£168,000-£838,000).

A recent visitor to the town explained how, even though the number of pirates who actually take part in a hijacking is relatively small, the whole modern industry of piracy involves many more people.

"The number of people who make the first attack is small, normally from seven to 10," he said.

"They go out in powerful speedboats armed with heavy weapons. But once they seize the ship, about 50 pirates stay on board the vessel. And about 50 more wait on shore in case anything goes wrong."

Given all the other people involved in the piracy industry, including those who feed the hostages, it has become a mainstay of the Puntland economy.

Eyl has become a town tailor-made for pirates - and their hostages.

Special restaurants have even been set up to prepare food for the crews of the hijacked ships.

As the pirates want ransom payments, they try to look after their hostages.

When commandos from France freed two French sailors seized by pirates off the Somali coast this week, President Nicolas Sarkozy said he had given the go-ahead for the operation when it was clear the pirates were headed for Eyl - it would have been too dangerous to try to free them from there.

The town is a safe-haven where very little is done to stop the pirates - leading to the suggestion that some, at least, in the Puntland administration and beyond have links with them.

Many of them come from the same clan - the Majarteen clan of the president of Somalia's transitional federal government, Abdullahi Yusuf.

Money to spend

The coastal region of Puntland is booming.

Fancy houses are being built, expensive cars are being bought - all of this in a country that has not had a functioning central government for nearly 20 years.

Observers say pirates made about $30m from ransom payments last year - far more than the annual budget of Puntland, which is about $20m.

When the president of Puntland, Adde Musa, was asked about the reported wealth of pirates and their associates, he said: "It's more than true".

Now that they are making so much money, these 21st Century pirates can afford increasingly sophisticated weapons and speedboats.

This means that unless more is done to stop them, they will continue to plunder the busy shipping lanes through the Gulf of Aden.

They even target ships carrying aid to feed their compatriots - up to a third of the population.

Warships from France, Canada and Malaysia, among others, now patrol the Somali coast to try and fend off pirate attacks.

An official at the International Maritime Organisation explained how the well-armed pirates are becoming increasingly bold.

More than 30% of the world's oil is transported through the Gulf of Aden, and even though the pirates lack the means to hijack huge tankers, there are reports that they have fired at them.

"It is only a matter of time before something horrible happens," said the official.

"If the pirates strike a hole in the tanker, and there's an oil spill, there could be a huge environmental disaster".

It is likely that piracy will continue to be a problem off the coast of Somalia as long as the violence and chaos continues on land.

Conflict can be very good for certain types of business, and piracy is certainly one of them.

Weapons are easy to obtain and there is no functioning authority to stop them, either on land or at sea.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/7623329.stm

Published: 2008/09/18 15:10:52 GMT