Date: 2025-08-05Category: DGS CircularState: Union GovernmentCountry: India
Addendum - I to DGS (NT/ENG) Circular No. 31 of 2025 - Mandatory compliance measures to prevent engagement of Seafarers without appropriate training and demonstratable competence prior issuance of certificates – Instructions to Ship Owner, Ship Managers, RPSL Agencies, Seafarers and Stakeholders
**Executive Summary**
This is Addendum-I to DGS (NT/ENG) Circular No. 31 of 2025, issued on August 5, 2025, by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS). It outlines mandatory compliance measures to prevent the engagement of seafarers without proper training or demonstrable competence, focusing on certificate verification. Affected seafarers and RPSL agencies are required to submit necessary documentation within 30 days of the addendum's issuance.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Background and Purpose:**
* The addendum supplements Circular No. 31 of 2025, which aimed to prevent fraud related to seafarer certificates.
* It addresses concerns from seafarer unions regarding the need for a validation process for genuine certificates.
* **Requirements for Seafarers:**
* Affected seafarers must submit complete training and certification records through their DGS-approved RPSL agency.
* Required documents include color scanned copies of original certificates for courses/training not covered in the original circular (CoC/CoP, STCW, Competency Courses), and seagoing service records (CDC). The attachment size is limited to 20MB.
* Seafarers must also submit a notarized affidavit attesting to the authenticity of the documents.
* **Responsibilities of RPSL Agencies:**
* RPSL agencies must submit a comprehensive list of seafarers they employ who possess certificates from authorities not listed in DGS Circular No. 31 of 2025.
* RPSL agencies must submit a separate case file for each seafarer, including all required documents, to the DGS within 30 days of the addendum's issuance.
* RPSL agencies must submit documents electronically to specific email addresses based on the seafarer's stream (Marine Engineering: engg-stcw@gov.in; Nautical: nt-stcw@gov.in).
* **Verification Process:**
* A committee will verify the submitted documents and assess the authenticity of the certificates.
* The outcome of the assessment will be communicated to the seafarer and the RPSL agency.
* Genuine documents will allow the seafarer to join vessels immediately.
* If certificates are found to be not genuine, the reports will be forwarded to the Maritime Administration for certificate cancellation, and the RPSL agency and seafarer will be informed.
* **Clarification of Original Circular:**
* Circular No. 31 of 2025 does not impose a blanket restriction on seafarers' employment or sailing, but mandates verification of certificates.
* Seafarers with genuine CoC/CoP can continue to sail in their respective ranks if their documentation is found to be in order.
**Impact Analysis**
**Seafarers**
* **Impact:** Seafarers holding certificates from certain foreign administrations must undergo a verification process to continue their employment. Failure to comply or possessing fraudulent certificates may result in certificate cancellation.
* **Action Required:** Submit complete training and certification records, along with a notarized affidavit, through their DGS-approved RPSL agency within 30 days of the addendum.
**RPSL Agencies**
* **Impact:** RPSL agencies are responsible for compiling and submitting seafarer documentation to the DGS, adding to their administrative workload. They are also responsible for communicating the verification results to the concerned seafarer.
* **Action Required:** Compile and submit a comprehensive list of seafarers with certificates from unlisted authorities, create separate case files for each seafarer, and submit all required documents electronically to the DGS within 30 days of the addendum.
**Ship Owners, Ship Managers, Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** Ship owners, ship managers, stakeholders and other maritime unions are impacted by the new verification process which will ensure maritime safety and regulatory compliance.
* **Action Required:** There is no action item listed in this document for the listed stakeholders.
Key Entities Referenced
DGS (NT/ENG) Circular No. 31 of 2025: A circular by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) regarding preventing fraud related to seafarer certificates and endorsements, which this addendum modifies or supplements.
Directorate General of Shipping (DGS): The primary regulatory body responsible for implementing and overseeing the policy related to seafarer certification and compliance.
Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL): Agencies holding RPSL licenses are directed to submit lists of seafarers employed by them with certificates issued by authorities not within DGS Circular. They facilitate verification of seafarer documentation.
Certificates of Competency (CoC) and Certificate of Proficiency (COP): Seafarer certificates that are subject to the verification process described in the circular.
STCW Convention: International standards for seafarer training, certification, and watchkeeping, used to assess the genuineness of seafarer certificates.
Addendum - I to DGS (NT/ENG) Circular No. 31 of 2025
Date: 05.08.2025
File No. 25-13012/3/2024-NT - DGS
Authorized by:
Subject: Mandatory compliance measures to prevent
Chief Examiner of
engagement of Seafarers without appropriate training and
Engineers, and
demonstrable competence prior issuance of certificates –
Instructions to Ship Owner, Ship Managers, RPSL Agencies,
Chief Examiner of Master
Seafarers and Stakeholders – reg.
& Mates.
Pursuant to the DGS (NT/ENG) Circular No. 31 of 2025, which was issued with
the sole intent to prevent fraud and unlawful practices related to the issuance of seafarer
certificates and endorsements, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) has received
representation from various seafarer unions, expressing their concern and the need to
have a validation process for seafarer with genuine certificates. At the same time, all the
industry associations and the seafarers’ unions expressed support for the cleanup efforts
of the DGS and stressed that action should be taken against the persons holding
fraudulent certificates.
2. Subsequently, the Directorate had issued formal notices by email on 21.07.2025 to all
registered Recruitment and Placement Service License (RPSL) holding agencies,
directing them to submit a comprehensive list with details of seafarers employed by them
whoareinpossessionofcertificatesissuedbyauthoritiesthatarenotlistedwithinthesaid
DGS Circular latest by 31st July 2025. Based on the said notice, the RPSL agencies have
forwarded the list of seafarers to the DGS for initiating the further process of verification.
3. Furthermore, as planned and informed to the stakeholders as way ahead, in order to
undertake the verification of the seafarer certificates and assess the authenticity of the
Certificates of Competency (CoC) and Certificate of Proficiency (COP) issued to them by
foreign administration that are not listed within the DGS Circular No. 31 of 2025, the
Page1of3Directorate General of Shipping hereby request the affected seafarers to submit their
complete training and certification records through the DGS approved RPSL company
engaging these seafarers.
4. The documents required to be submitted should as a minimum, comprise of but not
limited to, the following colour scanned copies of original certificates for the
courses/training claimed to have been undertaken by the seafarer:
a) COC/COP issued by the State parties which are not covered in the circular.
b) STCW modular courses relevant to the COC/CoP
c) Competency course relevant to the COC.
d) Seagoing service records with copies of the Continuous Discharge Certificate
(CDC) showing the relevant sea service preceding the issuance of the CoC/CoP.
Note: The size of attachment may be limited to 20MB.
5. Theabovedocumentsandrecordsarerequiredtobesubmittedalongwithanotarized
affidavit, duly sworn and signed by the seafarer, attesting the authenticity of the submitted
documents. The seafarers shall forward the documents for verification through the DGS
approved RPSL agency which engaged them for the last contract.
6. The RPSL is requested to submit a separate case file for each seafarer, along with the
above-mentioned documents and records, to the Directorate General of Shipping within
30 days from the date of issuance of this addendum.
7. The Committee notified by the Directorate shall, upon receipt of the above documents,
undertake verification of the seafarers’ certificates and assess the authenticity of the
certificates issued by the respective foreign administrations and training providers. The
outcome of the assessment shall be communicated to the seafarer at the email ID
registered in their seafarer profile, as well as to the concerned RPSL agency. If the
documents are found to be genuine and meeting the requirements of the STCW
Convention, then the seafarers shall be permitted to join vessels immediately. If not, the
reports will be forwarded to the concerned Maritime Administration for cancellation of
COC/CoC and the RPSL agency and the seafarer will be duly informed about the action
being initiated.
8. The RPSL shall submit the above documents electronically to the following email ids
only:
Seafarers of Marine engg-stcw@gov.in
Engineering stream
Seafarers of Nautical nt-stcw@gov.in
Stream
Page2of39. Further, it is reiterated that the Circular No. 31 of 2025 dated 18/07/2025 does not
impose any blanket restriction or prohibition on seafarers from continuing their
employment or sailing. The Circular merely mandates verification of certificates of the
seafarers by the RPSL agency, holding qualifications from certain foreign administrations,
in the interest of safeguarding maritime safety and regulatory compliance. It is to be noted
that the seafarers are not being debarred or disqualified from sailing per se; they can
continue to sail in their respective ranks based on the genuine COC/CoP, provided their
documentation is found to be in order. The intent of the circular is purely regulatory and
preventive, aimed at identifying and acting against fraudulent practices, without causing
undue hardship to genuine seafarers.
This is issued with the approval of the Competent Authority.
(Capt. Ravi Singh Sikarwar)
Nautical Surveyor-cum-DDG(Tech.)
To
1. ThePrincipalOfficers,MercantileMarineDepartment,Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai/Kandla/Kochi.
2. AllSurveyor–in–Charge,MercantileMarineDepartment
3. TheIndianNationalShip-ownersAssociation(INSA)
4. TheIndianCoastalConferenceShippingAssociation(ICCSA)
5. ForeignOwnersRepresentationandShip-managesAssociation(FOSMA)
6. MaritimeAssociationofShip-ownersShip-managesandAgents(MASSA)
7. AllStakeholders/ShippingCompaniesthroughDGSWebsite.
8. MaritimeUnions
9. HindiCell–witharequesttotranslatethiscircularinHindianduploadonDGS
10. Computercell.
Copyto:
11. PStoDG(S)
12. Sr.PStoCS
13. Sr.PStoNA(i/c)
14. Sr.PStoCSS(i/c)
Page3of3