On 31st July, 2008, seafarers in large numbers protested outside the office of the Directorate General of Shipping, Jahaz Bhavan, Walchand Hirachand Marg, Ballard Estate, Mumbai. Their protest was at the joint call given by the Mr. Abdulgani Y. Serang, General Secretary – cum – Treasurer of the National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI) and Mr. S.S. Khan, General Secretary of the Maritime Union of India (MUI) under the banner of the Indian Seafarers Federation (ISF). They were agitating to demand the release of Capt. Jasprit Chawla and Chief Officer Syam Chetan who have been detained in Korea since December, 2007. Their detention follows the case involving their tanker ship ‘Hebei Spirit’ which was collided by a floating crane resulting in oil spill. Despite being declared innocent, by the District Court, of all charges of violating the ocean pollution law the Korean court is determined to detain them possibly for a year pending further hearings. This is unfair, unjustified and violation of basic rights of a seafarer and in contravention of established international principles of Fair Treatment to seafarers in case of accidents.
The shipping industry got together on this important issue and a Joint Industry Statement alongwith the signed petition from thousands of Indian seafarers were handed over to Capt. M. M. Saggi, Nautical Advisor to take up the matter with the Government of India. We are now been informed that the Government of India has taken up the matter with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and also their Korean counterparts.
A high-level industry delegation also met Mr. Yoon, Myung-kyu, Korean Consul, who has assured that the Korean Government will be informed about the anguish of the Indian shipping fraternity and is taking up the matter more seriously for a positive outcome.

Mr. Shigeru Wada, Mr. Mahendra Sharma and Miss Hye Kyung Kim representing the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) also met the detained seafarers in Seoul, Korea today. Their detention will be till 21 October, 2008. Mr. David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary will accompany the detained seafarers to the Court of Justice on 1st August, 2008 to appeal for the lifting the exit ban.