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.

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.

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".

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.

"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.

I feel embarassed as well as literary happy at being the most prolific blogger on www.seafolks.com. Whats the reason for other "Mariners" avoiding expression of their thoughts to the public?Scared of "Office Politics" or future "Job Procurement"?"Blogging" is educative as well as corrective to any group or institution, the beauty of "Literary Democracy".In case a "Topic" offends someone's interest,best, ignore rather than "BLACK-LIST" or rusticate the "BLOGGER". International Shipping is undergoing its worst crisis since the "TITANIC SINKING 1912" akin to "Economic Apocalypse-2008".Hijacking of the "Sirius Star" a 3,18,000 V.L.C.C brand new ship launched in March 2008 by Huda .M.Ghoson, the first woman to launch a ship in Saudi Arabia sums up the catastrophic year of 2008 akin to 1929, absolutely depressive economically.. Post "Sirius Star" hijacking would be part of "Shipping history books" and akin to "Titanic Sinking" expect a host of "Shipping legislations" on Piracy prevention, once considered as "MOCK DRILLS" on ships. A ship worth 125 million U.S $'s and with 100 million U.S$'s cargo doesn't get hijacked daily, but the very fact that this happened is serious food for thought on the importance of the "SHIPPING INDUSTRY".

Please check the site www.shipnostalgia.com

, the largest shipping site with varied topics written by various members ranging from the "Master" to "Crew" to "Guests".  "VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE ESPECIALLY IN THE SHIPPING  INDUSTRY WITH INTERNATIONAL CREW AND OWNERS."                                                                                      

Thanks to "STOLK VALOR" hijacking survivors, the media and Navy have managed to "PROFILE" the "Pirates", a bizarre case of "Soldier Illiterates" hijacking the entire billion dollar "SHIPPING INDUSTRY".
Comparisons of "Somali Pirates" to late Veerapan of the Satyamangalam forests of India, involved in "Elephant and sandalwood " poaching is unmistakable, only difference, the Somali Pirates are a "Faceless group" without any individual leader, hence difficult to obliterate from the Sea.
Ultimately International Naval forces will neutralise the pirates, the question, when and at what cost?
Unlike Veerapan, there might be numerous "Veerapans" in the sea's off Aden and Indian ocean from civil war ridden Somalia ,ever willing to replace fallen "Pirate Comrades".
STOP SOMALIA CIVIL WAR AND PIRACY WOULD VANISH.

A belated "Merry Christmas-2008" and a "Happy New Year-2009" to the "Shipping Fraternity", truely International citizens.
May "Terrorism-2008" be history and "Economic apocalypse-2008" a painfull memory to "Shippies", the toughest of tough amongst working class in any "PROFESSION".