Even Keel

Even Keel

By Abhijith BalakrishnanSociety & Culture
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Even Keel episodes

  • Episode 4: On Pilotage: In conversation with Capt. Rajesh Nambiar
    To Prosper and Thrive, you needed brave men to venture out.  And when men braved the oceans and ventured out to lands unknown, they became legendary. Who hasn't heard of a Christopher Columbus, a Marco Polo or  a Vasco da Gama. But who has heard of Juan dela Cosa, Anton de Alaminos, or Ahmad ibn Madjid. These were the men who showed the legendary navigators the way. their pilots.
    No matter where you came from the danger lurks when the waters narrow. When a ship would reach the coast, the captain would wait at anchor where he thought it was safe. He would wait there until the natives came out in their canoes and helped the ship to harbour. These, the last leg of the voyage, potentially the most dangerous and challenging, cannot be completed without help. If you needed to make this passage, you needed pilots. Without pilots, there would be no shipping. Without shipping there would be no viable commerce. There are references to pilots in texts as ancient as the Holy Bible.
    Once self employed, fiercely independent and mutually competitive, piloting is now what I think is an organised service to the community.
    I knew nothing about the history of pilotage. I still don't. I happened to speak with Rajesh a week or so ago. HE has been a pilot with a major Indian port and has over 7000 hours of pilotage experience. The conversation got around to his profession and its history. This got me interested. I invited him to come have a conversation here on Even Keel so you could hear his story. Title Music : Bipin Nambiar
    58 min
  • Episode 3:In Conversation with Capt. Rahul Varma on Criminalisation

    This week on Even Keel, I talk to Capt. Rahul Varma. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahul-varma-57a09589) about Criminalisation and what seafarers could do about it. He speaks of procedural rights and why it is a everyday concern and how seafarers should be empowered to deal with it. 

    There are enough guidelines out there. The IMO is working on improving their current guidelines for fair treatment of seafarers in an accident to include the treatment of seafarers suspected to be involved in maritime crimes.  There is the casualty investigation code. The UNCLOS and MLC. These in itself maybe sufficient protective measures that are already available to deal with the criminal sanctions on seafarers. But the conventions, rules, guidelines, regulations, codes, in themselves cannot ensure fair treatment. The reality is more complex. Political. Emotional. A lot depends on the willingness of individual states - port states, coastal states, flag states, seafarers states - to recognise and implement and give full effect to the various conventions, guidelines and codes. It is more important for Industry organisations and seafarers organisations themselves keep the matter always burning. Not just smoldering. 


    References

    1. https://www.marineinsight.com/maritime-law/case-study-criminalisation-of-87-indian-seafarer-in-indonesia-rights-available-but-denied/
    2. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/rahul-varma-57a09589_seafarer-maritimeindustry-maritime-activity-6677914602426159104-LYfX
    3. https://www.marineinsight.com/maritime-law/rights-and-duties-of-seafarers-upon-criminalisation
    4. Survey by Seafarers Rights International: http://seafarersrights.org/SRI-FT-flip-folder/mobile/index.html#p=1 
      5. 54 min
    5. Episode 2 On Entrepreneurship, In conversation with Capt. Arjun Singh Kalra.
      In this episode, I speak with Capt. Arjun Singh Kalra. Arjun has set up his own business and recounts what he thinks are important for mariners before they step ashore. He tells me that we need to ensure we can sustain our family's needs for atleast 2 years before we take the plunge. We should develop domain knowledge  and should be a salesman. We should work with policy of sustainability and scalability. Learning to delegate and manage people are among what he considers as very important skills. All of these skills can be developed. Arjun spend a lot of time learning, reading and now networking. Among the reasons he counts among why he left sea are the opportunity for a steep learning curve available when ashore; and the monotony that sets in while sailing.
      36 min
    6. Episode 1: On Criminalisation and Unfair Media; in conversation with Capt. Abhay Kumar
      In this Episode,we have a conversation with Capt. Abhay Kumar, Master Mariner with over 25 years experience across various disciplines in the maritime sector. We speak about criminalisation of seafarers and the unfair media. We mention Wakashio and the Beirut Blasts.
      Listeners, please send in your voice messages telling us how we could improve and what you would like to hear. And if you think you have a story to share, we could have a conversation.
      47 min
    7. Episode 0: ECDIS Blues with Capt. Vincent Fernandes

      In this Episode, we have a conversation with author, trainer and Master Mariner, Capt. Vincent Fernandes. We speak about his book and touch upon some features of the ECDIS. And we speculate! 

      Listeners, please send in your voice messages telling us how we could improve and what you would like to hear. And if you think you have a story to share, we could have a conversation. 

      37 min

    About Even Keel

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    This is where you can listen to level headed conversations on anything maritime. Seafarers talking about seafaring and everything connected to it.