Amidst escalating tensions in West Asia, India's Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has issued a crucial advisory, urging shipping companies to refrain from deploying Indian sailors on vessels navigating the volatile Strait of Hormuz until further notice.
Key Points
- The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has advised shipping companies to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
- The directive is a response to the West Asia crisis and recent attacks on vessels in the region.
- Masters of vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and adjoining waters are instructed to maintain heightened security vigilance.
- The advisory follows attacks on MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which resulted in one Indian seafarer's death and injuries to nine others.
- The government has also mandated the DGMA to create a real-time dashboard to track Indian seafarers in the region.
The Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has directed ship owners, ship managers and recruitment and placement service companies to avoid deploying Indian sailors on vessels travelling through the Strait of Hormuz until further orders amid the West Asia crisis.
Heightened Security Vigilance
In an advisory, the DGMA said masters of vessels operating in Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and adjoining waters shall maintain a heightened level of security vigilance.
They are directed to monitor navigational warnings, security advisories and updates issued by the competent authorities, and implement all applicable ship security measures, in accordance with International Ship and Port Security (ISPS) code.
'Ship owners, ship managers and Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies are directed to avoid deploying Indian seafarers on vessels undertaking voyages involving passage through the Strait of Hormuz until further order,' it said.
Recent Incidents and Government Response
The advisory came after the attacks on two vessels this week-- MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa -- in the Strait of Hormuz.
They were carrying 30 Indian seafarers among a combined crew of 46.
One Indian seafarer lost his life while another sustained injuries aboard MT Al Bahiyah. On MT Mombasa, nine Indian nationals were injured.
The government on Tuesday had asked the shipping authority to set up a dashboard for providing real-time information about Indian seafarers on each vessel operating in the region, irrespective of the ship's flag.
Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had asked DGMA to establish a comprehensive vessel-by-vessel operational dashboard to account for every Indian on each vessel, irrespective of its flag, operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.
