In a bid to stop the exploitation of Indian sailors in the UAE waters, the Indian government has established a new center, aiming to receive the grievances and issues of stranded seafarers.
The decision for the Directorate General of Shipping Communication Centre (DGCOM) was taken by the government, in the light of the high number of Indian seafarers stranded in UAE, in recent months.
The Directorate General of Shipping was quoted as stating that several cases were being reported of Indian seafarers being stranded at foreign ports, working on foreign flagships, with non-payment of wages for months, non-availability of provisions onboard, etc.
Anyone informed of such cases should indicate them to the DGS Communication Centre, along with the details of the ship and IMO number, port at which the ship is anchored or its next port of call, name and INDoS number of the seafarers, name of RPS, name of the shipping company or any other relevant information. The center will then address the issue, cooperating with relevant authorities.
India has again in the past supported various missions to offer legal help for sailors who face distress and has taken more measures to protect seafarers in UAE, by tightening recruitment rules.
