Pratik Bijlani –
For an industry built around ships, ports and cargo, India’s maritime story is increasingly being defined by the people who keep it moving. That message resonated strongly at the stakeholder interaction organised by the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) on 8th August at Taj Lands’ End, Mumbai, where discussions on seafarer safety and welfare unfolded alongside the inauguration of the ambitious e-Samudra digital platform.
With Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mr Sarbananda Sonowal as Chief Guest, the gathering brought together an unusually broad cross-section of the maritime community—shipping companies, port authorities, RPSL agencies, seafarer unions, training institutes, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard, Customs, the Ministry of External Affairs, Bureau of Immigration and other stakeholders. Their presence reflected a simple reality: protecting Indian seafarers increasingly requires an ecosystem-wide response.
Opening the proceedings, Mr Sushil Mansing Khopde, IPS, Additional Director General of Maritime Administration, pointed to the scale of India’s seafaring workforce. With 3.23 lakh active Indian seafarers now representing more than 12% of the global workforce, the country is targeting a 20% share by 2030. But the numbers also carry responsibility. During recent geopolitical crises, coordinated efforts involving DGMA, RPSLs and the Ministry of External Affairs helped repatriate more than 4,000 Indian seafarers from the Gulf region. “Our seafarers are ambassadors of India, and their professional journey is closely monitored by DGMA. With 3.23 lakh active seafarers today, we aim to reach 20% of the global seafarer workforce by 2030 through continued stakeholder collaboration.” Mr Khopde said.
That ambition is being matched by an effort to change how maritime administration itself works. Mr Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Directorate General of Maritime Administration, described a shift towards digitalisation, transparency and faceless governance, with e-Samudra positioned as the centrepiece of that transformation. “The real basis of India’s maritime power is its people. Our digital transformation must therefore deliver faster, transparent and accountable services while strengthening seafarer welfare and ensuring maritime administration keeps pace with emerging global challenges.” he said.
Inaugurated by Mr Sonowal, e-Samudra brings a wide range of maritime services onto a common digital platform. Developed with technology partner CMS Computers, it currently comprises 15 modules and 72 online services covering seafarer certificates, ship registration, chartering permissions, MTO licensing, surveys, recognised organisations, finance and administration. The platform serves more than 80,000 seafarers and nearly 100,000 stakeholders, with 13 regional offices connected to the system.
For MoPSW Secretary, Vijay Kumar, however, digitalisation is not simply about replacing paperwork with screens. It is about making regulation easier to understand and services easier to access. “Regulation must be transparent, simple, digital, objective and centred on welfare and security. Our focus should not be on adding more processes, but on creating better processes that are efficient, seamless and meaningful for stakeholders.” he said.
The urgency behind these reforms was evident throughout the discussions. Indian seafarers continue to operate against a backdrop of conflict and instability in the Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Black Sea. DGMA outlined measures including round-the-clock monitoring, emergency assistance, evacuation coordination, seafarer tracking, grievance redressal and family support. Initiatives such as e-NAVIC, RPSL digitisation and expanded welfare infrastructure are intended to ensure that technology strengthens, rather than distances, the relationship between the administration and those at sea.
Mr Sonowal reinforced that message, urging stakeholders to ensure that seafarers understand the risks associated with high-risk deployments while assuring them of institutional support. “The safety, security and welfare of our seafarers must be properly understood by all of us. Wherever they are in the world, we must give them the confidence that the government, DGMA and every stakeholder stands with them, so they never feel alone.” he said.
The interaction also recognised the maritime community’s own contribution to seafarer welfare. MUI and NUSI provided ₹10 lakh and ₹12 lakh respectively towards the welfare of seafarers navigating war zones and high-risk areas.
As the event drew to a close, the message was larger than the launch of a digital platform. e-Samudra represents a new interface between the maritime community and its regulator, while the welfare initiatives discussed at the gathering point towards a broader shift in priorities. For India to become the world’s leading supplier of seafarers, its maritime administration must not only produce more professionals—it must ensure that every seafarer, wherever their voyage takes them, knows that the system is working to protect them.
Marex Media