Delphine Estibeiro –
On the occasion of the 61st National Maritime Day Celebration (NMDC), the NMDC committee members organised a thought-provoking seminar titled Sustainable Shipping – Opportunities on 02nd April at the renowned The Shipping Corporation of India Limited (SCI).
Mr Atul Ubale, Director – Bulk Carrier & Tankers, & Additional Charge of Director – Finance, SCI, welcomed everyone to the Shipping House and stated, “SCI has played an important role in India’s maritime history. It’s always been a guiding light.”
During the conference, he stated, “At any crisis, there are always possibilities. This is also true in shipping, where there are numerous prospects, such as ecommerce and digitization. We just need to work together to achieve one shared goal: sustainable shipping.”
In his elaborate presentation, Mr Shyam Jagannathan, Director General of Shipping, highlighted the government’s efforts to achieve the Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which aims to make India a developed nation with economic growth, environmental sustainability, social progress, and good governance. He went on to say, “The government is doing their bit in developing the maritime sector in India, we should also do our bit.”
Speaking on the demand for seafarers and gender diversity, Capt MP Bhasin, Chairman of the CMMI, stated, “To achieve the goals of Vision 2030, we need to work together and develop the required taskforce.” In terms of increasing the female workforce, he said, “We should allow women seafarers to join onboard; even if they only spend 6 to 8 years its good enough, we can observe them ashore.”
Dr Anand Hiremath mentioned that there are numerous prospects in the ship recycling industry, but they must be pursued in a systematic manner.
Ms Sonali Banerjee, Marine Surveyor, Indian Register of Shipping, emphasised the importance of career growth for women in maritime by focusing on the following:
- Gender diversity in the workforce has a direct impact on financial performance
- Investing in inclusivity leads to developed societies
- Everyone deserves fair opportunity and equal access to resources
- In the marine industry, a lack of women in top roles
Ms Banerjee recommended ladies to undertake the following on a personal level:
- Fight the struggle within
- Constantly increased abilities and competencies
- Stay receptive to feedback and constructive criticism
- Be alert of your surroundings
- High visibility for proximity to the appropriate leaders
This was followed by an in depth deliberations on Maritime Training and Modern Techniques by Mr David Birwadkar, Advisor – Shipping, The Great Eastern Shipping Co Ltd & Head, The Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies; Checks and Port State Inspection by Mr Aniruddha Chaki, Engineer & Ship Surveyor-cum-Deputy DG(Tech), DGS; and Repair Facilities and Potential in the Maritime Sector by Mr Saanjeev V Mehra, Managing Director, Kenmark Tech Solutions they carefully described the numerous features of prospects available in the maritime business.
Dr Pandurang Raut, Deputy Director General of Shipping proposed the vote of thanks.
Each presentation emphasised that in every challenging scenario there are abundant opportunities to work together to accomplish one shared goal: Sustainable Shipping.
Marex Media