The Indian Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has circulated a controversial directive—Circular 31 of 2025—that significantly restricts Indian seafarers from working with foreign Certificates of Competency (CoCs). This move has sparked considerable backlash within the maritime community. Critics label the regulation as arbitrary, unjust, and detrimental to the livelihoods of thousands of Indian seafarers, with unions such as the Global Seafarers’ Union of India and the All India Seafarers Union voicing their concerns through protests. They allege that the DGS failed to engage with stakeholders during the formulation of this circular.
The DGS specifies that Indian seafarers can only be recruited through Recruitment and Placement Services License (RPSL) agencies if they hold Indian CoCs or CoCs from countries that have mutual recognition agreements with India, including Malaysia, the UAE, South Korea, Sweden, the UK, and Iran. Additionally, CoCs, Certificates of Proficiency (COP), or Modular Course certificates from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, and Ireland will also be accepted, but only if the seafarer received training in those respective countries. To validate these credentials, the issuing Maritime Administration will perform online verification before recruitment.
India is a significant player in the global maritime sector, with around 200,000 seafarers working on various international vessels—85% employed on foreign ships and 15% on Indian-flagged ships. The DGS’s circular has led to immediate repercussions, including a statement from Panama’s Maritime Authority. They clarified that there are no restrictions on recognizing Indian CoCs or COPs and acknowledged the professionalism and skills of Indian seafarers. Panama promotes international collaboration and adherence to the International Maritime Organization’s STCW convention, underscoring their commitment to high standards of training and certification.
Moreover, Panama’s authority emphasized the importance of preventing fraudulent practices related to the issuance of seafaring certificates, adhering fully to the STCW convention requirements. Overall, the situation highlights significant tensions between Indian regulations and international maritime practices, raising important questions about the future of Indian seafarers in the global shipping industry.
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