Anglo Eastern Ship Management Suffers Major Blow as RPSL License Gets Cancelled or Suspended
Anglo Eastern Ship Management Faces Severe Blow: RPSL License Revoked, Impacts Operations Significantly
In a major setback for Anglo Eastern Ship Management, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) has taken the decision to suspend their Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL).
This suspension, outlined in the official DSEO Order dated May 31, 2023, marks a critical turn of events for the company and raises questions about their adherence to regulations.
Reasons for the Revocation:
The suspension stems from an investigation into the tragic demise of Sanjay Chaudhary, the esteemed Chief Engineer aboard the Hong Kong-flagged vessel, M T Atlantic Olive, under the management of Anglo Eastern.
On April 17, 2018, during the ship’s voyage from Malta to Cape Verde Islands, the incident occurred, revealing serious violations of the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement Service) Rules, 2016 by Anglo Eastern Ship Management.
Negligence and the Role of Captain Santosh Achuthan:
The investigation established that Captain Santosh Achuthan, the vessel’s Master, exhibited negligence that directly contributed to the untimely demise of Sanjay Chaudhary.
Despite having 4 hours and 25 minutes of crucial time at his disposal, commonly referred to as “golden time,” Captain Achuthan failed to utilize it effectively, resulting in the tragic outcome.
DG Shipping’s RPSL Suspension Order:
Pursuant to Rule 12 of the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement Service) Rules, 2016, the RPS License (No. RPSL-MUM-088) issued to M/S Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd has been suspended for a period of 3 years, effective immediately.
However, the existing contractual obligations with seafarers who were recruited by the RPSL Company and are presently serving on their ships will continue to be the responsibility of M/s Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd, RPSL-MUM-088.
To ensure compliance, the original Bank Guarantee is being retained by the DG Shipping.
Dr. Amrita Singh’s Complaint and its Implications:
This investigation is a direct response to the complaint filed by Dr. Amrita Singh, registered on the online CPGRAM portal under reference number MSHPG/E/2020/00088, dated March 21, 2020.
The complaint addresses the departmental inquiry concerning the alleged murder of Chief Engineer Sanjay Chaudhary, as per the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, and the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006.
The complaint, along with the supporting documents as per the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, and the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement of Seafarer) Rules, 2016, was received by this office on January 8, 2021, from the Directorate General of Shipping ([email protected]).
Implications of the DG Shipping’s RPSL Suspension:
The immediate suspension of the RPSL license of M/s Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd, with the bearing No. RPSL-MUM-088, for a period of 3 years, underscores the seriousness of the violations committed.
However, it should be noted that the contractual obligations towards seafarers recruited under this license and currently serving onboard will remain with M/s Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd, RPSL-MUM-088.
The DG Shipping has withheld the original Bank Guarantee for this purpose.
Insights into the Anglo Eastern RPSL Case by DG Shipping:
The DG Shipping, the regulatory authority overseeing India’s maritime activities, has imposed a three-year suspension on Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of the globally renowned ship management firm based in Hong Kong.
This suspension comes in response to the company’s violation of recruitment and placement service rules for seafarers.
The suspension order, issued on May 31 by the Seamen’s Employment Office, affiliated with the DG Shipping, is the outcome of a thorough inquiry into the demise of Chief Engineer Sanjay Chaudhary on board the Hong Kong-flagged vessel M T Atlantic Olive on April 17, 2018, under the management of Anglo Eastern.
The investigation revealed multiple infractions of the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement Service) Rules, 2016, committed by Anglo Eastern Ship Management.
It is stated in the order that the Master of the vessel, Captain Santosh Achuthan, demonstrated negligence that played a role in the loss of Sanjay Chaudhary’s life, as he failed to utilize the available golden time effectively.
As per the DG Shipping RPSL Order, presented in the DSEO Order dated May 31, 2023, the RPS License (No. RPSL-MUM-088) of M/S Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd is suspended for an immediate period of 3 years, in accordance with Rule 12 of the Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement Service) Rules, 2016.
However, M/s Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) Pvt. Ltd, RPSL-MUM-088, will continue to be accountable for the seafarers already recruited and currently serving onboard. The DG Shipping is retaining the original Bank Guarantee for this purpose.
While the suspension specifically applies to the recruitment of seafarers by Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) for the next three years, it is noteworthy that Anglo Eastern still holds another RPSL license originally issued to Univan Ship Management Ltd, as mentioned by a shipping industry source.
This violation of RPSL regulations has raised concerns within the industry.
According to the industry source, “Considering that Anglo Eastern Ship Management (India) employs over 20,000 seafarers across their managed ships worldwide, the incident surrounding the demise of Chief Engineer Sanjay Chaudhary warranted a complete ban. However, the company has received a three-year suspension instead.
They also have the option to appeal the suspension order to the Principal Officer, Mercantile Marine Department.”
It is essential to note that Anglo Eastern Maritime Services Private Limited still holds a valid RPSL license and operates as a subsidiary of Anglo Eastern.
