The Government of India has blacklisted two companies from United Arab Emirates (UAE) – shipping and management firm Shah Al Arab Marine Agency and M/s Alco Shipping Services LLC – for seafarer abandonment. India’s Directorate General of Shipping said in last week.
Indian seafarers were left stranded in Dubai for 22 months on board eight ships, including Enjaz 1 and 2, Dharma, Ocean Prestige, Ocean Grace, Ajwa, Sharjah Moon and Azab. The directorate said that seafarers were unpaid for months and hadn’t been repatriated after their contract completion. Even though the matters were made public, the companies in question continued to recruit Indian seafarers and several recruitment agencies had been found to have deployed seafarers to these vessels.
“Since the above-listed companies/recruiting agents have been found to be habitual defaulters in terms of payment of seafarers wages and basic provisions, it has been decided to blacklist them,” the circular said.
The recruitment and placement agencies who recruited and placed Indian seafarers on board the above-said vessels were ordered to withdraw Indian seafarers immediately and to repatriate them. The government also warned that recruiting should not be conducted for the ships and companies concerned.
“The immigration authorities are also requested not to give immigration clearance to the seafarers for boarding above said vessels,” the directorate added.