Addendum to Training Circular No. 06 of 2025 - Enforcement of the swimming pool and waterbody requirements for Maritime Training Institutes, reg

DGS Training Circular No.59 of 2025 [Addendum to Training Circular No. 06 of 2025] File No. 20-16/2/2024-TRG-DGS(C.No. 31917) Date: 15.12.2025 Subject: Enforcement of the swimming pool and waterbody requirements for Maritime Training Institutes, reg; a) Training Circular No. 4 of 2018 issued on 23/01/2018 References: b) Training Circular No. 7 of 2018 issued on 21/03/2018 c) Training Circular No. 6 of 2025 issued on 05/02/2025 This Circular is issued as an addendum to and in continuation of Training Circular No. 06 of 2025 dated 05.02.2025, for the purpose of enforcing and operationalizing the mandatory swimming pool and waterbody requirements prescribed therein. These directions are issued under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958, as amended, the Merchant Shipping (STCW) Rules, 2014 and the STCW Convention, 1978, as amended. Part-I: Background 1. Swimming is a foundational survival skill, directly linked to safety at sea as it helps a seafarer understand the significance of emergency preparedness and training programmes associated with it. 2. The pre-sea Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) in India have been mandated to have the swimming facilities installed within the campus, as these are considered to be crucial components of pre-sea training, serving to instill essential qualities, physical fitness, and personal survival skills necessary for a seafarer's life and the safety of ship operations. 3. The post-sea Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) in India offering the Personal Survival Techniques (PST) [STCW A-VI/1-1] course as part of the Basic Safety Training (BST) Course and the Refresher course in PST were also required to have a swimming pool meeting the 1dimensions specified in the Training Circular No.7 of 2018, which were reiterated in the Training Circular No. 6 of 2025, i.e. length of 50 feet, breadth of 30 feet, and depth varying longitudinally from 3 feet at the shallow end to 12 feet at the deepest end. Whereas, Training Circular No. 6 of 2025 also prescribed the practical training requirements for the Maritime Training Institutes (MTIs) conducting ‘Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, other than Fast Rescue Boats’ (PSCRB) course. The MTIs conducting the PSCRB course and the Refresher PSCRB course were prohibited from conducting the practical training in swimming pools and a waterbody of minimum 5500 sq.mt was specified to facilitate launching and maneuvering of lifeboat and rescue boat upto a speed of 6 knots, picking up of survivors, towing and marshalling of life rafts etc. 4. Whereas, the Training Circular No.6 of 2025 had abolished the system of tie-ups for the use of swimming pool and water body for practical training. Furthermore, all MTIs conducting any pre- sea courses and the post-sea courses which included Proficiency in Survival Craft & Rescue Boats, other than Fast Rescue Boats, Basic Safety Training and/or Refresher training in Personal Survival Techniques were provided with a timeline of six months from the date of issue of the Training Circular No. 6 of 2025, for complying with the requirements of the swimming pool and waterbody of the approved type. Part II: Implementation of the swimming pool and waterbody requirement at all MTIs 5. The Directorate General of Shipping has received request for extension of the timelines for complying with the swimming pool and waterbody requirements from few MTIs through the jurisdictional Mercantile Marine Departments. 6. Noting that although the requirement for swimming pool at each of the MTI categories referred in the paragraph 3 above, has been prescribed in the year 2018, the implementation of the same has been lagging. In the interest of uniform implementation of the DGS directives, following are clarified for ease of understanding and implementation w.e.f. January 1, 2026: a) All MTIs conducting any pre-sea courses and/or the post-sea courses which included Basic Safety Training and/or Refresher training in Personal Survival Techniques shall have a swimming pool of dimension, length of 50 feet, breadth of 30 feet, and depth varying longitudinally from 3 feet at the shallow end to 12 feet at the deepest end. b) The MTIs conducting the PST/Refresher training in PST/Basic Safety Training Course should have the jumping platform at a height of not be less than 2 meters from the surface of the 2swimming pool. c) Tie-up arrangements with any other MTI or external swimming pool/waterbody facility shall not be permitted, except where the DG Shipping has expressly allowed such tie-up based on an inspection conducted by the jurisdictional MMD and a recommendation issued by the Principal Officer. Such permitted tie-ups shall be valid only up to 31 December 2025, solely to enable the concerned MTI to complete construction of its own facilities and obtain approval from the jurisdictional MMD. The Principal Officer, MMD, shall submit a compliance report to DG Shipping by 15 January 2026, following which any MTI found non-compliant shall be prohibited from conducting all courses that require a swimming pool or waterbody of the specified dimensions. No tie-ups arrangements shall be permitted in order to comply with the swimming pool requirement for pre-sea MTIs, unless the MTI has been allowed by the DG Shipping based on the inspection undertaken by the jurisdictional MMD and the recommendation made thereof by the Principal Officer for a limited time, if approved by the STCW Compliance Board. d) The maximum permissible distance between the approved main campus of an MTI and any practical training facility (such as a fire mock-up or swimming pool or waterbody) institutions owned and operated by the same MTI/group shall not exceed 80 kilometers. Where any such facility is located 10 kilometers or more from the main campus, the MTI shall clearly disclose the distance and travel requirements to all candidates at the time of admission. e) No new MTI shall be approved to conduct pre-sea courses or the post-sea courses such as PSCRB/Refresher PSCRB/BST/Refresher PST etc. which need a swimming pool and water body of dimensions specified in para 3 and 4 above, unless the requirement is met in all respects. f) The MTIs have to ensure that the swimming pool is maintained, adhering to hygiene and safety standards specified by the local authorities. In addition, the MTIs have to ensure the following are strictly adhered to and records available for verification by any authorities: i. 24-hours CCTV surveillance of the pool and surrounding area. ii. Filtration System suitable for the full volume of the pool is mandatory. The system shall operate minimum two hours before commencement of any practical training and two hours after completion. iii. Water quality: 3• Chlorine levels at 2.0 ppm (within 1.0~3.0 ppm) • pH between 7.2 and 7.8, with 7.4 being ideal • Chlorine test to be undertaken 45 minutes prior to the training session and sample to be taken from multiple points, recorded in a log which has to be verified by the training instructor • The water quality testing should be done only in National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) India, accredited labs at a frequency defined in the quality system. iv. All washroom facilities adjoining the swimming pool shall be cleaned and sanitised routinely as per the MTI’s documented cleaning schedule. v. The MTI shall maintain complete records relating to swimming pool operations and safety, for a minimum period of five years, in line with promulgated Training Manuals. This shall include CCTV footage of the pool area, daily maintenance, training sessions and operation logs; and all records of water quality tests, filtration system operation, and cleaning activities. All cleaning logs shall be maintained on a daily basis and duly verified by the designated instructor and course in-charge. g) MTIs shall make available, on request/demand, all records at all times as required by authorities. Any failure to comply including non-availability, incomplete records, or falsification, shall be treated as a regulatory violation and shall result in suspension or withdrawal of approvals accorded, in addition to any other action considered appropriate by the Directorate. h) The MTIs that have completed construction of swimming pool and/or waterbody facility after issuance of the Training Circular No.6 of 2025 are required to apply to the jurisdictional MMD for a verification of the facilities with a fee of ₹25,000/- or else, the course which require use of swimming pool or waterbody shall be deemed to be withdrawn, with effect from January 10, 2026. This Circular supersedes paragraph 1 to 11 of Section A of the Training Circular No.6 of 2025. This Circular shall come into effect from the date of its issue, and all MTIs shall ensure full compliance with its provisions from that date onward. This issues with the approval of the competent authority. (Praveen Nair) Deputy Chief Surveyor cum Sr.DDG(Tech) 4To 1. The Principal Officers, Mercantile Marine Department, Mumbai/Kolkata/Chennai/Kandla/Kochi. 2. The Surveyor-in-Charge, Mercantile Marine Department, Goa/Jamnagar/Port Blair/Visakhapatnam/Tuticorin/Noida/Haldia/Paradip/Mangalore 3. All Maritime Training Institutes 4. All Recognized Organizations 5. Hindi cell 6. Computer cell Copy to: 7. The DGS Secretariat, 8. Addl.Director General of Shipping, 9. Chief Surveyor with the Govt.of India 10. Nautical Advisor to the Govt.of India 11. The Chief Ship Surveyor 12. Training Branch 5