KARACHI: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has intensified its crackdown on maritime irregularities, imposing a heavy fine on crew members at Karachi Port for possessing illegal Seaman Service Books (SSBs).
The Incident and Findings During a routine clearance operation, FIA officials intercepted a vessel arriving from Shinas, Oman, carrying approximately 3,000 metric tons of black carbon oil. The ship’s crew consisted of 17 members, including 10 Bangladeshi and 7 Indian nationals. Upon inspection, three Bangladeshi crew members were found traveling without valid national or Flag State Seaman Books. Instead, they presented illegal documents purportedly issued from Ireland. Initial investigations revealed that these fraudulent Seaman Books were obtained via courier services following questionable online training modules.
Penalties and Legal Action The Master of the vessel was formally notified of the violation and a fine of PKR 500,000 per person was imposed, amounting to a total of PKR 1.5 million for the three violators. The FIA has issued a formal notice to the shipping company, and the fine amount will be deposited into the national treasury.
Official Stance Authorities have reiterated that there is zero tolerance for the violation of legal maritime requirements. The FIA representative confirmed that teams are maintaining strict surveillance across all ports to ensure security and compliance with international shipping laws.
