Govt bans maritime training in India by foreign administrations without D G Shipping nod

Time of India

3 days ago

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The Directorate General of Shipping has prohibited foreign governments, maritime administrations, agencies, institutions, or representatives from conducting maritime training, including online or distance learning accessible in India, leading to issuance of seafarers' competency certificates under the STCW Convention without its prior written approval, the country's maritime regulator said in an order.Entities found violating the directive will be liable for regulatory and legal action, including blacklisting of Indian institutions or agents or seafarers involved, and they would be referred to the enforcement authorities under the Merchant Shipping Act and the Information Technology Act, the D G Shipping wrote in an order issued on Friday.Besides, certifications or training outcomes arising from such unauthorized courses will be rejected.STCW Convention refers to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).The STCW Convention mandates that each member state of the IMO shall ensure that seafarers onboard ships are qualified and fit for their duties, to ensure the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment.The STCW Convention also mandates that certificates for masters, officers, or ratings should be issued only to candidates who meet the requirements for service, age, medical fitness, training, qualifications, and examinations, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Convention.Institutions already conducting STCW Courses leading to the issuance of STCW Certificate of Competency (CoC) or Certificate of Proficiency (CoP), including short duration modular courses on behalf of foreign maritime administrations have been directed to stop all such training with immediate effect and submit details to D G Shipping for scrutiny and further investigation.Ship owners, ship managers, approved Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs), Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) companies and related stakeholders have been advised not to collaborate with unapproved foreign training providers and to report such offers or attempts to the Directorate.Foreign administrations intending to conduct maritime training in India must submit a formal proposal to the Directorate seeking prior approval.The order is issued in the interest of maintaining the sanctity, sovereignty and international credibility of India's maritime training system and to ensure that no Indian seafarer receives substandard or unregulated training from unauthorized foreign sources, the D G Shipping wrote in the order.Maritime education and training provided to Indian seafarers are required to meet strict national and international standards as prescribed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and enforced by the Directorate.The Directorate ensures compliance with the STCW Convention and is responsible for safeguarding the quality and credibility of seafarer training in India.'It has been brought to the attention of this Directorate that certain foreign governments, maritime administrations and their representatives have authorized private training centres for conducting maritime training courses leading to issuance of STCW Certificate of Competency (CoC) and Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) within Indian territory,' it stated.However, many of the private training centres claiming to have authorization from foreign maritime administrations do not have approval of the Director General of Shipping.Such activities are unauthorised and in contravention of Indian law and international obligations and they undermine the regulatory authority of the Indian maritime administration, the D G Shipping said.Describing it as a 'well drafted order' by the D G Shipping, Capt Sanjay Prashar , CEO, V R Maritime Services Pvt Ltd, said that all such institutes and seafarers undergoing courses from them will be blacklisted by the D G Shipping and legal action will be initiated.'This order saves jobs and increases jobs also. This is a game changer for Indian seafarers. Quality now is the name of the game,' Capt Prashar stated, adding that some 159 D G Shipping approved maritime training institutes can be tapped by foreign administrations for conducting courses and issuing CoC/CoP.This is the second attempt by the D G Shipping in less than two weeks to curb the practice of seafarers obtaining Certificate of Competency (CoC) and Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) from foreign administrations through what it calls 'fraudulent' means.On July 18, the D G Shipping issued a circular that barred Indian seafarers holding certificates issued by maritime administrations of countries that are not recognised by India from sailing on foreign flagged ships.The move, though, sparked widespread criticism over fears that thousands of Indian seafarers would lose jobs. It led a couple of seafarers to file a petition in the Bombay High Court seeking to reverse the circular issued by the maritime regulator.On Thursday, hundreds of seafarers, under the banner of the Forward Seamen's Union of India (FSUI), staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Directorate General of Shipping demanding withdrawal of the July 18 circular.The FSUI said that thousands of Indian seafarers will face career disruption, disqualification, and financial insecurity due to the circular which will increase the burden of compliance, due diligence, and legal ambiguity for RPSL agencies and shipping companies.'The August 1 order appears to be a better move by D G Shipping to check fraudulent certificates and practices unlike the July 18 order which has been challenged in courts,' said an industry official.