D-G Shipping crackdown, shipbuilding tensions & port concessions: What was important in the week gone by!
Advt
India's bid to grab a larger slice of the seafarers required by the global shipping industry has, of late, been dented by reports of unapproved private entities offering competency certificates that does not fit with the training and assessment standards set by India following a structured programme of examination, assessment and certification, as per a global treaty known as the STCW Convention adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).The Indian seafarers were lured by authorised as well as unauthorised manning agents to take up assignments on foreign flagged ships without adequate scrutiny of the fraudulent certificates issued to them.To curb the fraudulent practices, India's Directorate General of Shipping issued an order on July 18, banning Indian seafarers holding certificates issued by the maritime administration of countries that are not recognised by India from sailing on foreign flagged ships.The order, though, sparked widespread protests over fears that it would render thousands of seafarers jobless and led to a court case.On August 1, the day when the Bombay High Court heard the petition filed by a couple of seafarers, the D G Shipping issued a new order prohibiting 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 new order strikes at the very root of the malaise and is not seen as overtly hitting the seafarers, some of whom might have wittingly or unwittingly fallen for the trap, in their desire to get jobs on board ships, and took a shortcut to attain competency certificates. It also seeks to rectify the situation by asking the unauthorised private entities to fall in line with Indian laws.ET Infra reported in detail the moves by D G Shipping aimed at ensuring that India becomes a bigger supplier of quality crew to the global shipping industry.In other significant developments of the week, we reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi 's ambitious plans for India's shipbuilding industry are facing resistance from local fleet owners due to reasons explained in this article.But that hasn't deterred policy makers from finalising the technical specifications for constructing so-called Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGC's) locally.Meanwhile, India's oil and gas giant, ONGC Ltd, is scouting for local shipyards to build so-called Platform Supply Vessels that are used to support oil and gas drilling operations along the coast.Russia-backed Nayara Energy is being squeezed from all sides as the latest round of sanctions by the EU on the refiner based in Gujarat has forced a couple of Indian ship owners to back out of contracts for hauling petroleum products along the coastET Infra also reported how the Andhra Pradesh government led by N Chandrababu Naidu facilitated a key captive port facility for the integrated steel plant proposed by ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India by tweaking the concession agreement for the Kakinada Gateway Port Let us know what stood out most this week and how we can make your infra brief even more insightful.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
15 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Rahul Gandhi demands clean, pure voter list
NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the Opposition is protesting for the right to vote for every Indian, and demanded a "clean and pure" voter list. He said the Election Commission is silent as the truth is before the entire nation, after his charge that over one lakh votes in an assembly constituency in Karnataka were found to be fake in a research conducted by his party. Gandhi participated in the protest march by Opposition MPs from Parliament House to the EC office, but was prevented midway by the police and detained. They (EC) cannot talk as the truth is before the entire nation," he said as he was being taken away in a bus by the police. "This fight is not political, but for saving the Constitution," he asserted.
Time of India
15 minutes ago
- Time of India
Biofuels are a pathway to rural prosperity: Sanjeev Chopra, Secy, DFPD
Biofuels are emerging as more than just a decarbonisation tool for the transport sector. They are also a pathway to rural prosperity , agricultural value creation and greater energy security , according to Sanjeev Chopra , Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution . The Indian government can take cues from global experience. Brazil's long-standing ethanol programme, which blends sugarcane-based ethanol in petrol at levels of up to 27 per cent, has reduced oil imports, strengthened rural incomes and created a thriving bioenergy industry. The United States has used corn-based ethanol, blending around 10 per cent in most petrol sold nationally, to support its farm sector while lowering transport emissions. Indonesia has taken a biodiesel route, mandating a B35 blend that uses palm oil to replace petroleum diesel, cutting imports and supporting palm oil growers, with higher blends under consideration. 'Together, we can turn surplus production into sustainable energy, rural growth into national resilience, and agricultural value into enduring prosperity,' Chopra said at the SIAM conference on biofuels. He stressed that ethanol and electric mobility should not be viewed as competing technologies but as complementary routes to achieving environmental and economic goals. 'It is not about either-or. These technologies can grow in a complementary manner, ensuring that consumer needs, producer capabilities and environmental goals are all met,' he said. Diversifying the feedstock base Chopra outlined government initiatives to ensure sustainable and diversified ethanol feedstocks. From October 2025, a pilot will reduce the permissible broken rice percentage in government procurement, freeing up 50 lakh tonnes of fortified rice in five states for ethanol production without affecting food security. 'The idea is to ensure that surplus rice, which is already fortified and stored in the system, can directly support our fuel blending needs without affecting food security,' he noted. Maize production has also been rising sharply, from 340 lakh tonnes to an expected 425 lakh tonnes in two years, with a focus on high-yield varieties and improved post-harvest management. Trials with sweet sorghum at the National Sugar Institute in Kanpur have shown it can be processed in existing sugar mills without major equipment changes, potentially supplying up to 10 per cent of India's ethanol requirement if grown alongside sugarcane. Strengthening rural economies and energy security Chopra linked the biofuel drive to broader rural and economic benefits. By creating additional markets for crops such as sugarcane, rice, maize and sorghum, ethanol production can help stabilise farm incomes, reduce surplus stockpiles and cut India's dependence on imported oil. He also underlined that this approach could protect the country from global supply chain vulnerabilities in critical materials like lithium and semiconductors, which affect electric vehicle production. 'A diverse energy strategy makes us more resilient, both economically and environmentally,' he said.
Mint
15 minutes ago
- Mint
Eternal, Axis Bank to Trent — FIIs and DIIs raised stakes in THESE Nifty 50 stocks in June. Do you own any?
Indian stock market: Indian equity markets witnessed a strong rebound in the first quarter of FY26, bouncing back from their March 2025 lows, even as they faced several challenges during the period. According to Motilal Oswal's India Strategy report, Domestic Institutional Investors (DIIs) invested $19.7 billion into Indian equities, while Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) added $5.4 billion during the first quarter of 2025. ' Sustained retail participation and record monthly SIP flows of over USD3b have propelled domestic institutional ownership to new highs. This structural shift in institutional ownership, which has gained momentum since 2021, continues to strengthen as DII holdings reach new peaks and surpass FII holdings in Nifty 500 companies,' the report said. DII holdings in the Nifty-500 increased by 170 basis points year-on-year (YoY) and 20 basis points quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to reach 19.4 per cent. In contrast, FII ownership was unchanged at 18.8 per cent, showing a 20 basis point decline YoY and remaining flat QoQ, as per the MOFSL report. Meanwhile, FII stake in the Nifty 50 fell by 30 basis points YoY but rose by 20 basis points QoQ to 24.9 per cent in June 2025. In contrast, DIIs share climbed further, reaching a record high of 23.9 per cent, up 210 basis points YoY and 30 basis points QoQ. ' On a YoY basis, DIIs raised their stakes in 44 Nifty-50 companies, while FIIs reduced their stakes in 40 Nifty-50 companies. On a QoQ basis, DIIs raised their stakes in 34 Nifty-50 companies, while FIIs reduced their stakes in 28 Nifty-50 companies,' the report added. DIIs raised their stake in Asian Paints by 5.5% in June, reflecting optimism that the industry is on the path to recovery and competitive pressures have eased. In June, DIIs raised their stake in Zomato by 2.9%, bringing their total holding to 30.9%, while FIIs continue to hold a 44.3% share in the company. The pharma company saw DIIs raising their stake by 4.3% YoY and 1.1% QoQ. Meanwhile, FIIs reduced their stake by 2.5%. The two- and three-wheeler maker, which has fallen considerably from its all-time high, witnessed DIIs raise their holdings by 1.1% to 12.1%, while foreign investors reduced their stake in June. Tata Group's Trent saw DIIs increased their holding by 1.3% in June, taking it to 18.5%. By the end of the June quarter, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) held a nearly identical stake of 18.4%. NTPC, the sole state-run firm on the list, witnessed a 1.7% rise in holdings by domestic institutions, while foreign institutions trimmed their stake in the PSU by nearly the same margin. While foreign institutions hold the majority stake in the non-bank lender, domestic investors also showed greater interest, raising their shareholding by 1% to 16.3%. In June, domestic institutions raised their stake in Tata Group company Tata Steel by 1.6% to 26.3%, while foreign institutions reduced their holdings in the same quarter. Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. The views and recommendations above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, not Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.
