Dr Chander Shekhar1
1People's Education Society University, India
Biography:
Dr Chander Shekhar is an author and assistant professor at PES University, Bangalore, India, formerly associated with the RIS and ICWA, two think tanks of ministries of External Affairs, Govt of India. His specializations are in maritime security, economy, Southeast Asia, China and international business.
Abstract:
Last two and a half decades have been transformative and consequential, coupled with uncertain challenges faced by economies while engaging in international trade and commerce. Shipping via oceans plays a central role in international relation to protect growing demands of consumers across continents. By connecting countries from one continent to another, seafarers, who has been overlooked by analysts, as a boosting shot in trade and commerce plays an indispensable role in maritime transport. Along with facing challenges, majorly, abandonment, wage settlement with companies, piracy, natural disasters and conflicts, the International Maritime Organization and the International labour Organizations led Maritime Labour Convention have provided normative guidelines to seafaring and port states to achieve sustainable working and living conditions. Countries after world economies opened up in 1980s have invested in export of seafarers to merchant shipping who contributes to economic growth. Major states like India and the Philippines have evolved as a major competitor in this industry. In this light, this research examines seafarers as emerging geo-economic actor who has contributed to global shipping industry and their concerns need to be protected through a legal binding mechanism for all states, including port states with cases of India and the Philippines. In the age of Industrial 4.0 that focused on autonomous shipping, to strengthen seafaring community and their welfare there is a need to be re-skilled and up skilled them in emerging technologies to make shipping sector greener and cleaner for global good.
Keywords: Seafarers, International Relation, Shipping, Security, Trade, Industrial 4.0