The Hindu Business Line : Pilot-less, ports flounder

Major ports in the country are facing acute shortage of pilots as most of them are taking up assignments either in foreign harbours or on ships. The situation is so alarming at the Kochi and the Jawaharlal Nehru Ports that it is becoming difficult to move vessels in and out of the anchorage.

"Just as Indian shipping has been facing shortage of marine officers, our ports are going through a similar situation," a senior official at the Kochi Port said. Similar is the situation at New Mangalore and Goa ports that are managing with single pilot. At Kandla Port, pilots recently went on a strike demanding higher allowances, he added. The services of retired pilots are also being considered on contract basis.

The official said that JNPT had to cancel night pilotage due to shortage of pilots. The four pilots at Kochi work extended shifts to avoid cancellation of shipping movements. He pointed out that at least 14 pilots had resigned from Kochi Port in the last 10 years.

Poor compensation

This high attrition rate can be attributed to the poor salaries and working conditions for pilots in Indian ports. It is pointed out that the wages of masters in ships range from $6000 to $15,000 a month. However, Indian ports salaries range from Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per month. Foreign shipping lines and private ports, especially in the Gulf region, offer hefty salaries to Indian pilots.

Captain Verghese Kuruvilla, a former Deputy Conservator of Kochi Port, said that various committees have over the years looked into the issue of pay and allowances of marine officers. They had even recommended for an increase in the salaries of marine officers in line with the market rates. But these recommendations are yet to be acted upon.

According to Mr Kuruvilla, the pilot's job is risky. While pilots receive adverse publicity for any accident when handling ships (even if the cause is some thing else), the excellent job performed by them is just taken for granted.

Nor is the working condition in the ports great. For instance, while having to wait for a ship that has suddenly delayed its movement time by an hour or two, pilots do not have a comfortable place to relax in the port area.

Mr Kuruvilla suggested ways to retain pilots by giving greater attention to the problems they face and by improving the working conditions. Just as Shipping Corporation of India and Dredging Corporation of India pay their master mariners, the ports should also consider paying pilots as per Maritime Union of India (MUI) scales.

In this way, the ports would be better able to attract and retain marine officers. Most important, pilots must be made to feel that the port appreciates their services.

Safety Service

Pilotage is basically a safety service that ensures safe navigation and berthing of ships into a port. Because of his knowledge of the port channels, an experienced pilot will berth a ship safely and quickly than the ship's master who may have little or no knowledge of the port. Quick berthing of a vessel translates into substantial financial benefits for the shipping lines and the ports.

The economic consequences of a ship grounding and blocking the entrance channel to a port or a tanker grounding and polluting the waters or a ship damaging a major port installation can be severe.

Governments around the world recognise this and to avoid such disasters, they have marine pilots to steer ships into and out of ports.

Moreover, the assistance of pilots is a necessary requirement for a ship to claim insurance coverage for the accident caused in the restricted water limit of a port.

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