The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has initiated a verification drive to scrutinize foreign-issued certificates held by Indian seafarers, aiming to crack down on fraudulent credentials and protect legitimate jobs in the maritime sector.
This move follows a contentious order issued on July 18 by the DGS, which restricts Indian shipowners from employing seafarers holding Certificates of Competency (CoC) and Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) issued by certain Central American nations, including Honduras and Panama. The directive sparked protests from seafarer unions and has now led to the filing of a writ petition in the Bombay High Court.
According to data collected by the DGS from registered recruitment agencies, approximately 3,800 Indian seafarers hold certificates from maritime authorities that lack a mutual recognition agreement with India. Of these, around 2,000 are officer-level certificates, with nearly 80 per cent reportedly issued by Honduras.
In a fresh order issued on Tuesday, the DGS has instructed all impacted seafarers to submit their complete training and certification records. “If the documents are found to be genuine and meet the requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), they will be permitted to join vessels immediately,” the order stated. “If not, the matter will be referred to the concerned maritime administration for cancellation of the CoCs and CoPs.”
The July 18 directive was intended to curb irregularities in the recruitment process and safeguard Indian seafarers from being duped or abandoned. Investigations revealed that some unapproved entities had issued fraudulent CoCs, enabling even junior seafarers or ratings to falsely claim ranks as high as captain or chief officer.
The verification drive is being seen as a balancing act by the DGS — aiming to uphold international standards while addressing legitimate concerns raised by Indian seafarers affected by the new restrictions.