To combat malpractices in recruitment and safeguard Indian seafarers from fraud, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has implemented stringent regulations concerning Certificates of Competency (CoC). As of July 18, ship owners are prohibited from employing Indian seafarers who hold CoC that are not recognized by India. Only CoCs issued by the Indian government or by foreign maritime administrations that have mutual agreements with India—aligning with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention)—are valid for officers or engineers on foreign-flagged vessels.
Reports have surfaced revealing fraudulent agents selling ‘packages’ that include course certificates from unapproved maritime institutes, as well as foreign CoCs and Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) without any legitimate training. Investigations showed that some of these supposed training institutes do not exist at their listed addresses. In response, the DGS has filed criminal complaints, confiscated fraudulent certificates, and requested issuing authorities to cancel these certificates.
The DGS has identified that some Indian seafarers were lured by both authorized and unauthorized Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) agencies to work on foreign ships, often without appropriate verification of the fraudulent certificates. Additionally, some seafarers had STCW course certificates from unapproved training institutions, further complicating the issue.
The new circular mandates that all seafarers, including ABs, watchkeeping ratings, and ratings, must possess CoP recognized by the Indian government or compliant maritime administrations. Training programs for STCW certifications can only be conducted by institutes approved by the DGS. No training certificates under the STCW Convention can be issued without prior DGS approval.
To ensure reliability, the DGS advises verifying the authenticity of CoCs, CoPs, and course certificates via its official website. It emphasizes that seafarers must be employed in roles corresponding to their qualifications and obtain necessary flag endorsements according to the STCW Convention.
Failure to adhere to these directives may result in penal actions under the Merchant Shipping Act and MS-RPSL Rules. The DGS has suspended the Certificates of Discharge (CDC) of any seafarer found with fraudulent documents, blocking their INDOS number on the e-Gov portal for a minimum of two years.
Finally, the DGS calls upon all involved parties—shipowners, ship managers, RPSL agencies, and approved Maritime Training Institutes—to take these guidelines seriously, stressing the importance of training and genuine certification in maintaining safety and integrity within the maritime industry.
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