Bhavna Pimpale –
The Maritime Association of Shipowners, Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) brought together maritime leaders, regulators, international representatives and industry stakeholders at its Annual Dinner & Reception held on 30 October at The Leela, Mumbai, celebrating excellence across maritime education, training and professional service.
Welcoming guests, Capt Shiv Halbe, Chief Executive Officer, MASSA, described the gathering as an opportunity for the maritime community to come together beyond its day-to-day professional engagements and celebrate shared achievements.
In his address, Mr Maneesh Pradhan, Chairman, MASSA, highlighted the association’s growth to 43 members, representing recruitment and placement service providers, maritime medical practitioners and maritime training institutions. He noted that the organisation collectively represents more than one lakh Indian seafarers and remains committed to the welfare and well-being of seafarers and their families.
Mr Pradhan also highlighted MASSA’s two post-sea training institutes, both of which retained the prestigious A1 CIP rating, reaffirming the association’s commitment to developing globally competitive maritime talent.
A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of awards recognising outstanding achievements by cadets, ratings and maritime professionals.
Cadets who had been declared ‘Best cadets’ by select institutes were awarded Rs.50,000 cheque and a certificate.
In category of Best cadet BSc Nautical Science stream, following were felicitated:
- Midhun Manoj Nair- Hindustan Institute of Maritime Technology
- Daksh Gawari- TS> Rahaman
- Muhammed Bilal Shahud Hameed- Tolani Maritime Institute
- Nikhil Jagade- MANET
In category of B.Tech, following were felicitated:
- Dhruv Kumar Mangal- Tolani Maritime Institute
- Harsh Kumar Jha- Hindustan Institute of Maritime Technology
- Dherya Kharbanda- International Maritime Institute
The association also recognised academic excellence among ratings. Kalpana was felicitated being the highest-ranked female candidate in the CCMC Exit Examination conducted by BEST in June 2026, while Munir Qureshi Sheikh, presently sailing aboard a Maersk vessel, was also felicitated.
Among GP Rating achievers, Sana Qazi received recognition for securing the highest marks among female candidates in the June 2026 BEST Exit Examination, while Sonal Kumari was recognised for being among the top-performing female candidates.
In the Certificate of Competency category, Akshay Kumar was felicitated for securing the highest marks in the MEO Class II examination, Mahesh Radhakrishnan for topping the MEO Class I examination, and Nimble George for securing the highest marks in the Master (FG) Certificate of Competency examination, amongst those who passed all modules in the first attempt.
The evening also celebrated long-serving contributors to the maritime sector. T.V. Krishnan was honoured for 40 years of dedicated service to MASSA, while Arjun P. Chavan and Jaywant Gonbare were recognised for completing 25 years of service.
The event was attended by distinguished representatives from the diplomatic and maritime communities, including Ms. Monica Ommundsen Nagelgaard, Consul General of Norway; Mr. Roberto Rodríguez Prada, Consul General of Panama; and Mr. Patrick Turner from the UK High Commission, alongside maritime administration officials, industry partners, and seafarer organisations. The occasion also marked a significant milestone for MASSA with the launch of its upgraded website by Mr. Prashant Patil, Deputy Director General, Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), reflecting the association’s ongoing commitment to enhancing engagement, accessibility, and collaboration with its members and stakeholders.
MASSA reaffirmed its commitment to recognising excellence, promoting seafarer welfare and fostering a stronger and more connected maritime community, while underscoring the vital role of talent development in shaping the future of India’s maritime sector.
Marex Media