Anglo-Eastern Working with Administration to Withdraw RPSL Suspension

Trade Unions NUSI, ISWOT & MUI Stand by Anglo

Padmesh Prabhune

Ship Manning major Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd (AESM) is working closely with the administration to withdraw the recent RPSL suspension order, while trade unions of the likes of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), Indian Seafarers Welfare Organization (ISWOT) and The Maritime Union of India (MUI) have extended their support to AESM.

India’s maritime regulator, the Directorate General of Shipping, in its recent order on May 31, 2023 has handed out a three-year suspension notice to AESM, the Indian unit of one of the world’s top ship management firms based in Hong Kong, for violating the Recruitment and Placement Service rules of seafarers.

Commenting on the order, Capt Vineet Gupta, Managing Director, AESM said: “It is now being alleged that we are prohibited from operating due to a license issue. To be clear, we can confirm that we are discussing with the Directorate of Seamen’s Employment this matter arising from an on-going case involving the natural death of a senior officer on board one of our managed vessels in 2018.

“We are legally prohibited from commenting on this case; however, we have fully cooperated with all relevant authorities since 2018 and we are absolutely certain that we will be able to continue to perform Indian manning services on behalf of many of the world’s largest and most reputed international shipping companies.

“In the meantime, rest assured that our operations remain business as usual. The on-going discussions do not impact our day-to-day operations, nor our seafarers ashore or on board, nor the continuity of the employment of seafarers and their confirmed joining schedules.

“We remain, as always, committed to the safety and well-being of all our seafarers and their families and look to a quick resolution”, Capt Gupta added.

The 31 May suspension order issued by the Seamen’s Employment Office, affiliated to the DG of Shipping, follows an enquiry into the 17 April 2018 death of Sanjay Chaudhary, Chief Engineer, on board Hong Kong-flagged ship MT Atlantic Olive, when the ship managed by Anglo Eastern was enroute to Cape Verde Islands from Malta.

The enquiry noted several violations of the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement Service) Rules, 2016 by Anglo-Eastern Ship Management.

Ironically, Anglo-Eastern that has more than 20,000 Indian officers and crew presently on its rolls, has been acknowledged many a times over in the past three decades, most recently at the 2023 National Maritime Day Celebrations, wherein it was the recipient of the ‘Top Foreign Employer of Indian Seafarers’ Award, given by the Directorate General of Shipping.

–Marex Media