Date:08/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/12/08/stories/2005120801741900.htm

Back `ITF inspectors and Port State Control officers must work in tandem'

V. Sajeev Kumar

Kochi , Dec. 7

EXPERTS at a shipping seminar here have stressed the need for more interaction between ITF (International Transport Workers Federation) inspectors and Port State Control (PSC) officers in order to serve seafarers in a better way.

The role of ITF inspector is crucial in today's changed shipping environment and it has become important for both the parties to know and interact more with some key players in the industry, a paper submitted at the ITF seminar at Kochi Port said.

Although the primary role of an ITF inspector over the years has substantially remained the same, the changes in the industry and the globalisation in the shipping market has increased the number of tasks that the ITF inspectors have to face today.

There are many similarities between the objectives of the work done by the PSC and role of inspectors in their day-to-day work.

It is obvious that both organisations work independently in respect of their roles. However, the ITF and more frequently its affiliated unions world-wide have strengthened the co-operation with PSC to exchange information and reporting on cases they came across during their visit of a vessel.

Of late, the ITF has been soliciting the active participation of PSC in many training programmes.

The ITF recently agreed to experiment the possibility to be part of PSC officers training with a session regarding the role of ITF inspector and the ITF structure.

Thus mutual co-operation and a better knowledge would only help the ITF inspectors and the PSC to better achieve the mission of safe shipping and safety of crew.

Similarly the port agent, the vital link between the ship, the port and the country where the ship calls, could play a big role in bringing the pathetic situation of the crew before the ITF inspector.

Both the port agent and the ITF inspector are professionals who have extensive knowledge of maritime issues and in spite of the fact that they both work as part of an international market.

The port agent could inform the ITF inspector about a potential crew dispute seeking for the Inspector's mediation between the parties.

Joint efforts in pursuing the solution of a case could convince other bodies such as court, police, immigration to speed up or agree on certain issues which otherwise would be delayed in normal bureaucratic circumstances.