Fake Ship Registrations Put Indian Seafarers’ Lives at Risk, Warns FSUI; Seeks Urgent IMO Action – Indian PSU
The Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) has raised an alarm over the alleged proliferation of fraudulent vessel registrations and fake maritime insurance documents, warning that Indian seafarers working aboard suspicious tankers face potentially fatal risks without adequate legal protection, insurance coverage or emergency medical support.
The union has called for urgent intervention by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), demanding decisive action against fraudulent flag registrations and shadow fleet operations that allegedly allow vessels to operate without verifiable registration, valid insurance and effective regulatory oversight.
The concerns centre on tankers operating in and around the Persian Gulf and other international shipping routes, including vessels allegedly linked to companies operating from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to the concerns raised by FSUI, some vessels are using questionable or fraudulent flag registrations, allegedly forged Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance certificates and registries whose existence or validity cannot be independently established.
The consequences, the union warns, extend far beyond regulatory violations. When a vessel’s identity, flag state and insurance coverage cannot be verified, seafarers may find themselves exposed to serious accidents, inadequate medical assistance and uncertainty over compensation in the event of death or injury.
The letter written in this regard by Forward Seamen’s Union of India (FSUI) is given below for the benefit of the viewers of indianpsu.com –
