# U.S. Owned Ship Detained in India



## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-24577190


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## Varley (Oct 1, 2006)

First, our rulers abandon their duty to protect out trade routes in order to spark a new and parasitic industry from which the beleaguered owner must buy his protection privately (and from which presumably some tax revenue is garnered) and now they want to interfere with that! Perhaps the flag being Sierra Leonian meant India wasn't getting her share of the tax take.


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## G0SLP (Sep 4, 2007)

More likely certain high hiedyins were missed out in the mail, as it were...


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## Klaatu83 (Jan 22, 2009)

If this ship was involved in providing protection against Somali pirates then I cannot help wondering what they were doing so far east (Tamil Nadu is on SE Coast of India). However, that being said, it is indicative of the complexity of the problem of combating pirate attacks that national governments should be impeding efforts taken by the maritime industry to do so.


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

Varley said:


> First, our rulers abandon their duty to protect out trade routes in order to spark a new and parasitic industry from which the beleaguered owner must buy his protection privately (and from which presumably some tax revenue is garnered) and now they want to interfere with that! Perhaps the flag being Sierra Leonian meant India wasn't getting her share of the tax take.


From what I gather from previous Indian officer colleagues, some authority areas (Customs, immigration, military and civil police etc) run their own agenda to a certain extent. This even applies to Indians re-entering their own country and especially seafarers who can often be regarded as fair game. Of course, this was a few years ago now but I would not be surprised if there were still a few private fiefdoms still around - even if to prove who has got the whip hand. It happens.

LouisB. (Scribe)


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## callpor (Jan 31, 2007)

LouisB said:


> From what I gather from previous Indian officer colleagues, some authority areas (Customs, immigration, military and civil police etc) run their own agenda to a certain extent. This even applies to Indians re-entering their own country and especially seafarers who can often be regarded as fair game. Of course, this was a few years ago now but I would not be surprised if there were still a few private fiefdoms still around - even if to prove who has got the whip hand. It happens.
> 
> LouisB. (Scribe)


Just like the USA then ?


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## chadburn (Jun 2, 2008)

India has had problems with the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing dare I say since Independence.


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

callpor said:


> Just like the USA then ?


Well, certainly my experience of American immigration, especially regarding seafarers and prior to the Twin Towers was not always a pleasant affair. On several occasions, and once my job description had been established, I was spoken to and generally treated as some form of lower life.

I had (and still have) American friends and in comparison, some of the immigration 'officers' seemed poorly educated. I would however point out that the generally bad attitude towards seafarers was not constrained to the US. I could name (but wont) quite a few countries that regarded (regard) seafarers as a lower form of life. I was just surprised to find it in the US. Maybe I was unlucky and it's not like that at all. (end of disclaimer)

LouisB. (Scribe)


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## LouisB (Dec 23, 2007)

chadburn said:


> India has had problems with the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing dare I say since Independence.


After many years of working in and around the Singapore Naval Dockyard and with mainly Indian clerical staff I would totally agree with you - how the whole system survived, and to this day, I do not know.

LouisB. (Scribe)


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