I have been to various "GRAVING DOCKS" in the World including "Hughes", "Ritchie" and at present in 2008, "Maryweather Dry docks" of Mumbai.

Has "Mary Weather dry dock" been "INTENTIONALLY" allowed to "De-generate" from being one of India's oldest "Dry-Dock" to becoming a "De-funct Industry" on the verge of demolition into a "CONTAINER TERMINAL,  A LA MUMBAI MILLS SAGA"?

The facilities for toilets and bathing  is absolutely pathetic akin to normal "Paid Muncipal road toilets" and not meant for the sailing fraternity ,definitely an elite working force with top wages and service to the Nation.

Read an article in "Marine Engineers Review Feb-2008" issue and noted a comment which stated that "Mariners" of the present generation are treated unfairly, both amongst local civilians as well as "Marine Law Courts" and "Mary weather Dry Docks" is an absolute proof of the "POOR STATUS" of the "Mariner".

"Money by itself is powerless unless blended with passion and civility".

Are "Celebrations" and "Party's" on board ships in the present era of "SEAFARERS"on par with the "Ancient Mariner " Party's prior to "Containerisation" and "U.M.S Operational systems" of  Ships ? I am speaking as an "Ancient Mariner" of the  1980's generation of sea-farers and at present shore based in "Offshore operations".

"Times of India" has officially broken the news of a Bangladeshi duo selling "Fake C.D.C's" to Indian sea-farers in Mumbai for Rs 50,000 a "C.D.C". Shipping being a very "Close-Knit" circle with its own "Viscious gossips" and thorogh sea-farer scrutinization seems to surprise even the "Press" with the "Fake C.D.C Scam". Next What? Dr Watson.

Do the present generation of "Sea-Farers" realise that a organization known as the "Officers Maritime Union Of India" exists in 2008? All "Sea-Farers wages" on "Indian owned vessels" were and are still negotiated by the "Maritime Union Of India", yet tragically, the relevance of the "Union" has diminished after  the "Contractual employment" adopted by "Indian Shipping companies" akin to "1992 Economic Liberalisation".

Does anyone recollect Mr Leo Barnes, Mr Charles D'Lima or late Mr Sukhia? Once upon a time , both, the "Crew Unions" as well as "officers unions" were a monopoly of these gentlemen for decades as also "Election In-fighting" ,which could teach a lesson or two to some seasoned politicians.

"CONTRACTUAL EMPLOYMENT" in Indian shipping killed the bargaining power of Unions and at present, thanks to a shortage of officers as well as profits in the shipping Industry, seems everyone is reaping the "moolah".

The "Times" they are and have been changing.

World recognised best-selling author Jeffrey Archer commented in an interview in Mumbai that out of every aspiring thousand authors only one author gets published., ridiculous odds of success to failure ratio.
Thanks to "BLOGGING" an "INTERNET INVENTION", at least all "BLOGGERS " from the Merchant Navy  can fulfill their writing ambitions, including yours truely, proving that  professional life doesn't end in the "Engine-Room" or "Navigation Deck" .

Who knows, a great writer might originate from the sailing fraternity?  According to my personal experience and interaction with other mariners, the experiences of sea-farers could be the  subject of  thrillers , tragedies  and human achievements.
Ultimately blogging is the surest therapy for self-realisation and inter-mingling of ideas leading to a better understanding of one's own strengths and weaknesses.

Lately India's premier star Shahrukh Khan felt embarrassed when another celibrity star Amir Khan had named his pet dog "Shahrukh" and engaged in "Blogging hysteria" on the subject.
All over the World people do name their pets after "FAMOUS or INFAMOUS PEOPLE", and the best instance is "Napoleon, the pig" in George Orwell's "Animal Farm", a evergreen classic.
"Pets" are named after someone the pet owner either admires or envies, since all pets are an "alter-ego" of the owner.

DOES ANY SAILOR GET OFFENDED WHEN CALLED "SEA-DOG"?

PLEASE DO NOT DELETE MY ARICLE FROM THIS BLOG SIGHT.IF DELETED THAN KINDLY ALSO DELETE ME FROM  www.Seafolks.com!

I am writing this article for the second time since  it was deleted from this blog without my information or the reasons for deletion.Please, it costs me prescious "BLOGGING TIME" and creative "Engineering Writing" to write this blog,hence, even if a few fellow officers or casual readers are provoked, remember, India is a Democracy , everyone has a right to express their thoughts or experiences.

The dissappearance of the "M.V.Rezzak" in the Black Sea caused a sensation in the "Media" reaching the "Ministerial Level" with one family member even quoting a "Prime Ministerial level probe". Various people and sailors had their opinion about the dissappearnce with "Piracy" being a prominent cause since the ship just disappeared from radar without any flotsam in the sae. After a few weeks of "Media circus and sensationalism"the issue died a natural death with "Pelican Marine", the recruiting agency in India agreeing to provide the next-of-kin a "Mari-time insurance compensation".

I have sailed for 23 years, beginning in 1983 as a 5th Engineer in Mogul Line and finally quitting sailing in 2006 from "S.C.I-Offshore V/L"s" as 2nd Eng. In the process shipping has been a "Roller-Coaster ride" through variou companies , employment and weather conditions.

In 1998 i sailed on a tramping V/L  named "M.V.Vinta" registered in Nassau through a Mumbai based agency "Sinha Shipping". This ship was the last ocean sailing V/L of my sea career for i then joined the "Off-shore Industry" to avoid a watery grave in the future!

On joining "M.V.Vinta" in Bhavnagar(Gujerat) in July 1998 i was in for the worst shock of my entire career as to the "SAFETY" and "SEAWORTHINESS" of this ship.

Normally on joining i always go through the "History book" of the ship and this vessel had an officer retention period of an average of a month for C/Engs and 2/Engs, a genuine "GULAG ARCHIPELEGO" of the "Shipping Industry".

Accomodation was Non-A/c(A/c non-functional!) and pigeon-hole in size and there was a rationing of water, same available for 1/2 hr in 24 hrs.

Worse was the "Engine-Room", straight out of a "PRISON CAMP", with exhaust gases leaking into the engine room and hence the E/R temps were in the range of 45 to 50 *C. I have sailed on 2 ships that were taken to the "Graving Docks" of Alang and those were 75% better than this "SEA-WORTHY CALAMITY". Arabian Sea was rough and we were doing 25* rolling/pitching besides there were "Scavenge Fires"  at least once in 24 hrs, hence stoppage, cleaning of  "scavenge underspaces"  and "Decarbonising" a "Yanmar generator' was the minimum "Engine room workload".

We berthed at the port of Qatar and the entire officers staff which consisted mostly of Bangladeshi's submitted their resignation to the company requesting termination of services and relief on arrival to the nearest Indian port. Later we set sail for India bunkering at Fujairah and on the way the ships rudder stock gland started leaking and hence an ingress of sea-water into the Steering spaces.The leak was contained by pumping the sea-water overboard through a indigenously designed pumping system by the engine staff.Miraculously we reached Bhavnagar on 31/7/98 and were happy to be relieved, spending a total of 1 month on board which seemed like 1 year, a real torture ship. Later, over the years ,on inquiry i heard that "M.V.Vinta" was sent to a shiprepair yard after our death defying voyage and was scrapped very soon as new  shipping legislations must have made it totally unsailable , even in the most corrupt organization.

How manny "M.V.Vinta's" stiil exist in the Shipping world? Was the "M.V.Rezzak"of 2007 a prototype of the "M.V.Vinta" of 1998? As in every Industry and profession, the crooks do exist in harmony with the honest, a bitter truth of the art of living.

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