Ghosts in a Steel Box: An Indian Seafarer Perspective

Abstract

An often unrecognized area is the plight of sailors transporting much of our goods worldwide. They set out for a life of adventure on the high seas, usually driven by economic necessity. However, they occasionally fall prey to unscrupulous ship owners, agents and consortiums of ship managers.

The paper focuses on two main areas: the plight of the Indian sailor trapped on ships in foreign ports, with little access to food and water, and his promised wages. The sailor often does not leave his subhuman conditions as he has not yet received promised wages and is unclear about the law.

Many sailors, thus trapped, suffer from both short and long-term mental and physical health problems that are brought about by the innocent seafarer, some even contemplating suicide. The paper adopts a multi-disciplinary approach in examining these effects on humans who serve on ships, submarines, in space, or even in restricted spaces in an urban setting.

The greater tragedy is that regulators' and governments' roles are often unclear, leaving trapped seafarers to their fate and chance.