Prisilla Nadar

On 25th February at Hotel Radisson, Mumbai, The National Union Seafarers of India (NUSI) and International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) together launched new welfare and training initiatives in the ongoing Azadi ka Amrit Mohotsav. 3 new courses introduced were: ‘6G Welding Course’; Maritime English Made Easy; and Bridging Course for Offshore to Mainfleet for seafarers in the presence of the Chief Guest Mr Amitabh Kumar, IRS, Director General Of Shipping and several other industry personalities after a long time.

“This event is like ‘Apna Ghar ka Function,’” said Mr Abdulgani Serang, General Secretary-Treasurer, NUSI/Executive Board Member, ITF. He started the function with his unique poems and Mr Milind Kandalgaonkar gave his opening remarks welcoming everyone for the event.

Mr Pawan Kapoor, Chair and Managing Director, ISF and NUSI Training Partner explained in detail about the newly launched training initiative. The vision of these initiatives is to see Indians emerge as the most favoured seafarers globally and to be recongized for their competence, safety consciousness, cost effectiveness, professionalism and language skills. According to Mr Kapoor these initiatives will help to establish and operate institutions imparting high-quality training to seafarers supported by modern infrastructure, identifying emerging needs based on overall maritime environment, to feed the inputs into the training.

Capt MP Bhasin, Chairman, MASSA and the Director General of Shipping Inaugurated the 6G welding course. “We recently discussed about how to maintain the quality of seafarers while increasing their numbers, I am surprised, within the span of few weeks; NUSI came up with these courses,” stated Mr Kumar. He further added, “These initiatives will help Indian Maritime Industry; NUSI efforts will make Indian seafarers as best and most desirable in the world.”

Capt Bhasin recalled how Mr Serang helped them with seafarers sign in sign off when COVID-19 broke and no country were ready to accept our seafarers.

Apart from these initiatives, NUSI also launched “NUSI SURAKSHA KAVACH” in partnership with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) through Jeevan Amar Policy which will benefit NUSI members’ upto the age of 60 years.

NUSI also came up with initiatives for seafarer’s family called, ‘NUSI Saheli Swayam Rozyar Yojana’ where women in a seafarer’s family is given a job. Today, many such women make their own living.

They are into mask making and nettipattam and these were kept at an auction after the session. Mr Serang announced that NUSI is planning to launch more products in the market soon, namely Navik papad and NAvik pickles.

Marex Media