Amid Iran war, 62 India-bound ships sailed safely out of strait
New Delhi: Ministerof Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, informed Parliament on Friday that as many as 4,052 seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region and 62 India-bound vessels have successfully transited Strait of Hormuz (as on August 3), out of which 23 were Indian flagged and 39 under foreign flags.
The minister highlighted that considering the evolving maritime security situation, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA progressively updates its advisories to enhance the safety and security of the Indian seafarers amid the Middle East conflict.
In view of renewed attacks on merchant vessels, the Directorate General of Shipping has mandated the implementation of full International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code security measures and advised against the deployment of Indian seafarers on voyages transiting through the Gulf region, the minister said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
A DGMA advisory has also been issued for Indian and foreign flagged vessels carrying Indian seafarers operating in the Black Sea, requiring enhanced caution, voyage specific security assessments, strict adherence to security advisories and immediate reporting of incidents.
Besides, an advisory has been issued for vessels operating in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Southern Red and adjoining Yemen waters, directing shipowners and masters to exercise utmost caution, continuous monitor security, developments and implement additional risk mitigation measures.
Further, from the onset of the security situation in the Strait of Hormuz, several measures have been taken to safeguard lndian seafarers.
These include the establishment of a dedicated 24×7 Control Room, maintenance of a live vessel-and crew database, and issuance of a Situation Report (SITREP) every 24 hours to monitor the movement of vessels, lndian seafarers, incidents and casualties.
The DGMA has also developed an integrated digital platform with dedicated 24×7 Marine Casualty Reporting, Crisis Management and Seafarer Grievance Redressal modules to ensure prompt reporting and response, the minister said.