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Spouses to be allowed on ship
http://www.sina.com.cn 2003/04/28 09:33  上海英文星报

  THE Ministry of Communications has ruled that sailors employed by the China Ocean Shipping (Group) Company (COSCO) may bring their spouses on board while they are on voyages, ending the era of married seamenshavingsto lead a single life at sea.

  The new policy camesintoseffect at the beginning of the month.

  According to a report in the Shanghai Morning Post, China is one of only two countries in the worldswheresfamily members of seamen are forbidden to sail on their husbands' ships. The ban is said to have arisen because of the hard nature of the work on board a ship at sea and the closed environment.

  Wives of seamen could only visit their husbands when his ship docked at its home port. To stay on board the ship overnight was not allowed. After visiting the ship, the wives had to stay in nearby hotels.

  In September 2000, the ministry gave the wives of three senior COSCO sailors permission to sail with their husbands as a trial run.

  After the success of the trial, COSCO asked the ministry to extend the permission to go to sea to the wives of all married sailors.

  While all seamen at COSCO said they thought the break with the past was good news some were cautious about embracing the change.

  Li, who has been on his ship for 10 years, said he would not allow his wife to sail with him. "She gets seasick on the ocean and also because competition in the job market is so cut-throat, she may lose her shore job when she comes back from sea," he said.

  "Our pay is not as good as seamen in other countries who are able to support the whole family on their pay alone."

  However, family members of more senior seamen welcomed the new policy. One wife, surnamed Xu who is now retired, said she wanted to stay with her husband on his ship even though she may become seasick.

  The length of time he is away from home on long voyages has made the couple treasure their time together.

  So far, the policy change affects only COSCO ships as no other ocean-going shipping company has made a similar application to the ministry.

  If other companies applied, they would also be granted approval, said an official with the ministry's Maritime Bureau.




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