Two Bangladeshi crew jumped ship in Quebec, Canada

Two Bangladeshi crew jumped ship in Quebec, Canada

MarEngr.Md.Humayun Kabir, Sr.Engr.Instructor of Bangladesh Marine Academy wrote on Fabruary 6, 2017; two Bangladeshi Crew (Fitter and Ch.Cook – both 50 years of age) did not return to their ship (a chemical tanker) after expiry of their shore leave in Quebec, Canada. The shipping company had to pay a fine of USD 50,000 for two of them in order to sail and avoid detention.

The local agents and the Manning Agent, who asked not to be identified, are very worried for their future. If this practice continues, it will be very hard to place Bangladesh officers and crew aboard vessels in the future. This is very well known Chemical Tanker company and prospects are dim for future employment of Bangladeshi crew with them.

When Bangladesh Shipping Corporation used to ply between the Americas and Bangladesh, there used to be high rates of desertions in the Americans shores. BSC used to pay a lot of penalties for these desertions.

Occasional desertions of Bangladeshi crew aboard foreign flag vessels restricts future employment of Bangladeshi crew. Bangladeshi government is fully aware of this situation and are very concerned. They have adopted stringent rules such as official undertaking with bond security and imposing severe punishment.

The tendency among a section of seafarers to desert ships at foreign ports, mainly at USA, discourages many overseas employers from employing shipping crews from Bangladesh. Although it may not be possible to eliminate desertion altogether, experts in this field believe that effective measures should be undertaken to reduce the extent of desertion which will facilitate better job prospects for the seafarers in the long-run.