Operations of all 12 major ports in India are on the verge of coming to grinding halt following discontentment among marine pilots and marine officers. This follows the move by the Ministry of surface transport and shipping to lower the pay scale and ranks of pilots and marine officers with effect from January 15.
An office order by the Ministry of shipping has downgraded the pay scale of pilots from the existing Rs32,900- Rs58,000 to Rs29,100 - Rs54,500 which would leave a big hole in the pay packets of all pilots and marine officers.
This comes at a time when the economy of the country has started picking up and looking buoyant because of the rising international trade. “There is a severe shortage of qualified pilots in the country. This is because of the high standards set by the Union Government for recruiting pilots,” Captain Joseph Alapat, Harbour Master, Cochin Port Trust, told The Pioneer.
Marine pilots perform highly specialised operations, according to Captain Hariharan Balakrishnan, veteran mariner who has captained warships as well as cargo ships in international waters for decades. “Pilots perform important tasks for any port by safely navigating cargo vessel from outer harbour to its assigned berth and also to safely take the ship out of the harbour for her onward sea voyage,” said Captain Balakrishnan.
He also pointed out that only master mariners who have passed the certificate of competency (master foreign going) examination conducted by the ministry of surface transport/director general (shipping) are selected as pilots in port trusts. "In addition to this certificate they should have considerable sailing experience to be considered for appointment as pilots," he said.
Interestingly, the Ministry of shipping itself had acknowledged that there was a severe shortage of pilots in the country because the pay scale offered to them was low compared to what they draw as masters and captains in ships. While a captain in a merchant navy ship is given a minimum take home pay of Rs4.5 lakhs per month, the pilots in major ports were appointed in the pay scale of Rs14,500 to Rs18,700 with allowances. In 2007, the pay scale of pilots was revised to Rs32,900 -Rs58,000. "This scale has been spiked to 29,100 to 54,500 by the Ministry on January 15 without furnishing any reason. The downgrading of the rank will also affect our promotion prospects," said Cap Alapat.
Francis J Veliyath and Bhaskar K Kunji, both captains with decades of international sailing and navigation experience behind them opted for the job of pilots to be with their families. "We should have sound knowledge about the Port, the nature of wind, waves and each and every inch of the shipping channel to navigate ships to the assigned berths.
It is a complicated task with the body and brain have to work simultaneously. We are not asking for the top notch pay scale offered by shipping companies but the reasonable scale offered by the Government of India itself to us," they said.
According to senior marine officers, this could be the handiwork of bureaucrats in the Ministry who want to sabotage the promotion avenues of pilots to that of deputy chairman of the port trust.
"It can also be due to a conspiracy by cartels working against the economic growth of the country. By demoralising the pilots, they hope to make them agitate against the move by the ministry which would lead to the shut down of ports," said a senior pilot who did not want to be quoted.