Shore leave in the Indian Navy is considered to be a privilege to the sailors. The commanding officer of the ship or the captain, after considering the programme and other exigencies of the day, decide the duration the “liberty” granted to the officers, senior sailors and junior sailors, whenever the ships are in any port alongside the jetty or at anchorage in close proximity to shore. Shore leave, called “liberty”, is granted to the sailors at an interval of half an hour to one hour. If the ship is anchored a proper boat routine is planned, maintained and the same is displayed on the main notice board. Public announcement of the boat leaving the ship is also made for general awareness. This will help also those who are deep inside their mess room pr accommodation to keep tab of the situation.
Ten minutes before the time of “liberty”, those who wish to proceed ashore is mustered near the gangway and the liberty men are made to stand in proper “fall in”, standing in line according to the number of persons either in one line, two lines or three lines with proper gaps between lines and each men. A report that the “Liberty men are ready to proceed ashore sir” is made by duty chief petty officer to the officer of the day (OOD) and he comes and inspects the men going ashore.
The inspection covers whether they are properly dressed and carrying their identity card. If it is a new port, the instructions such are specific to the port is conveyed and they are told at what time their shore leave expires and by what time they are to be onboard the ship. All are asked to enter their names in the “liberty register” which will be maintained by the quarter master at the gangway of the ship.
The register is re-inspected by the duty CPO and OOD after expiry time to make sure whether all have come back onboard or not. Normally, “liberty” is granted till 12 midnight for junior sailors and 1 am for senior sailors. If someone has to stay thereafter they have to plan earlier and request for “extension of liberty”, before leaving the ship, which will be entered by the duty person against the name of the sailor in the register. Anyone who overstays their permissible time without permission is a defaulter and dealt with accordingly as per the Naval rules. So if “liberty” is a privilege and the system grants it, in a proper disciplined manner, there is punishment if you default.
(The Author is an Ex Indian Navy Petty Officer who served the Indian Navy from 1968 to 1985 and the Shipping Corporation of India from 1986 to 2008 and presently the All India Organizing Secretary of Forward Seamen’s Union of India, based in Mumbai Office)
What the rule book says
There are many international conventions and agreements that guarantee a seafarer’s right to shore leave. Instances of brushing aside such established rules are on the increase.
* The United States Supreme Court in the landmark case of Aguilar v Standard Oil Co:
"The assumption is hardly sound that the normal uses and purposes of shore leave are 'exclusively personal' and have no relation to the vessel's business. Men cannot live for long cooped up aboard ship without substantial impairment of their efficiency, if not also serious danger to discipline. In short, shore leave is an elemental necessity in the sailing of ships."
* The International Maritime Organisation Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic:
"Foreign crew members shall be allowed ashore by the public authorities while the ship on which they arrive is in port...."
* The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS):
"Foreign crew members shall be allowed ashore by the public authorities while the ship on which they arrive is in port. Contracting Governments should pay due cognizance to the fact that ship's personnel need shore leave and access to shore-based seafarer welfare facilities, including medical care."
* The National Maritime Board Agreement states:
“Masters should, when a ship is at or off her berth, allow crew on articles, the maximum amount of time ashore, when not required for work.
