Government Shipping Office
|
Seal of Government of Pakistan | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 21, 1948 |
| Jurisdiction | Pakistan |
| Headquarters | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | Official Website |
Government Shipping Office, Karachi was established before independence under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1923. It functions as subordinate office of the then Ministry of Communications, now reorganized with restructuring, as Ministry of Ports and Shipping, under the Administrative control of Ports and Shipping Wing, Karachi and being maintained in accordance with Chapter 3 of Merchant Shipping Ordinance-2001.[1][2][3]
Purpose
The objective of Government Shipping Office is to administer various provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1923 (now replaced with Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 2001) and Rules made there under, and to execute Government directives and ILO conventions within the orbit of the Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 2001. The principal function of the Office is to supply crew to all Pakistani and foreign ships, issue Seaman Service Book (SSB), previously Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) and to maintain roster of seamen.[4]
Functions
The functions of Government Shipping Office relate to:[4][5]
- Registration and facilitation of Pakistani Seamen
- Issue of Seaman Service Book (SSB) and issue of Seafarers’ Identity Document (SID)
- Engagement of Seamen on Ships and Discharge of seamen from ships
- Maintains record of service of seamen
Ports & Shipping Wing Karachi has since long been facing acute shortage of staff, its sub-ordinate and attached department are functioning below strength of manpower. Besides, Mercantile Marine Department, the Government Shipping Office is working with its 14 vacant slots of officials of different ranks.[6]
Shipboard Employment policy
Pakistan's merchant marine policy for jobs on vessel set in 2001, speaks as follows:
Every Pakistani mariner (officers, engineers or ratings) of any trade/specialization, who holds the requisite internationally, recognized qualification, where applicable, for the job/task being sought shall be issued Seamen Service Book (SSB) within 2 weeks of the receipt of complete documents. They only prerequisite for issue of this document shall be, where applicable, holding of the appropriate qualification.[7]
Issuance of SSB
To obtain employment on board a seagoing vessel every citizen of Pakistan is entitled to acquire a Seaman Service Book in accordance with the provision of Merchant Shipping Ordinance 2001 subject to fulfilling the requirements as set-in under the Rules issued from time to time, by the Government of Pakistn. SSB is issued from National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) after following prescribed procedure and deposit of fee.[8] One of the sources of getting SSB in the category of ship's ratings/crew is conduct of courses from private sector institutions.
Prior to 1990 Pakistan government was practicing the policy for issuance of CDC (now SSB) only to a certain number per year in order to ensure the availability of job to each and every seamen holding CDC under roster system. The promulgation of Merchant Shipping Ordinance (2001) contains provisions which imparts authority to institutions in private sector to offer training to semen for issuance of SSB according to their qualification.[9] After coming into force of Merchant Shipping Ordinance, 2001, private institutes started their business of training-cum-education to prospective seamen.There are five maritime colleges in Karachi, Professional Maritime Studies (PROMTEE), Nautical Institute, Reycon, Maritime Training Centre, and in Public sector the Pakistan Maritime Academy, while one operates in Lahore, all these colleges get their operations’ license from Ministry of Ports and Shipping, Ports & Shipping Wing, Karachi. Pakistan Seamen Union discloses that there were nearly 50,000 seafarers and holder of SSB/Old System CDC, most of them had no jobs.[10] Institutes have been charging between Rs.70,000 and Rs.80,000 for six-month training without ensuring shipboard jobs of their students, which causing a surplus in the already over-saturated job marketmarket.[11]
SSB/SID CARD
Computerized SSB and Machine Readable SID cards are issued to seamen as per codes/conventions of International Labour Organization (ILO). The break-ups for Pakistani seamen (both officers and ratings) as per published record for the years 2014-15 are as under:[5][11]
- Registered seafarers (officers): 8,000
- Registered rating semen: 15,000
See also
References
- ↑ Zaka Ali, Hamid Ali (2003). The Rules of Business, 1973. Karachi-Pakistan: The Ideal Publishers. pp. 63–64.
- ↑ Khan, Dr. M.J.R.Khan (1987). Secretariat Instructions. Islamabad-Pakistan: Government of Pakistan. p. 22.
- ↑ Business Relations, International Business Relations (2012). Pakistan Country Study Guide Volume 1 Strategic Information and Developments. Washington: Lulu.Com - IBP. Inc. pp. 104–106. ISBN 9781438775258.
- 1 2 Pakistan (2001). The Gazette of Pakistan – Extra-ordinary published by Authority (3 Oct, 2001). Islamabad-Pakistan: Government of Pakistan. pp. 1228–1473.
- 1 2 Web Admin. "Seamen Service Book". Government Shipping Office. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
- ↑ Hina Mahgul Rind (May 20, 2014). "Seafarers, navy officers fear for jobs". The News. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ↑ Pakistan (2001). The Gazette of Pakistan – Extra-ordinary published by Authority (August 11, 2001). Islamabad-Pakistan: Government of Pakistan. pp. 1057 (Part–III).
- ↑ http://shippingoffice.gov.pk/Annexure%20A.html retrieved 26-11-2015
- ↑ "Karachi: CDC Offices closed down". The Daily Dwan. June 16, 2002. Retrieved November 26, 2015.
- ↑ Waqar Hamza (November 8, 2010). "maritime colleges ruining careers". Pakistan Today. Retrieved November 24, 2015.
- 1 2 "Only 15pc trained seamen find jobs - Employment opportunities shrink after Sept 11". The Daily Dwan. March 29, 2004. Retrieved November 26, 2015.