**Executive Summary**
DGS Order No. 16 of 2024, issued on November 7, 2024, announces the formation of a Working Group by the Directorate General of Shipping to conduct a Regulatory GAP Assessment in the Offshore Sector on a volunteer basis. The group will focus on training and competency requirements for offshore personnel, particularly in areas not covered by the STCW Convention. The ultimate goal is to enhance safety, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance in the offshore sector.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Working Group Composition:**
* The working group comprises 15 members representing diverse expertise in offshore operations and maritime services.
* Members are affiliated with various organizations, including Aban Singapore Pte Ltd/IADC, ABS Marine Services Limited, Dynamic Drilling, Greatship India Limited, IMCA, Institute of Marine Engineers (India), and others.
* **Working Group Objectives:**
* **Analyze Training and Competency Structures:** Evaluate current training frameworks for offshore operations, including drilling rigs, FPSOs, diving support vessels, dynamic positioning, pipe laying, offshore support vessels, and oil spill response.
* **Suggest Implementation and Evaluation Guidelines:** Recommend how to effectively implement identified training programs and accurately measure their impact, using Training Needs Assessment (TNA) to determine necessary training components.
* **Terms of Reference:**
* **Training and Competency Needs Assessment:** Identify training and competency gaps, not covered by the STCW Convention, that are critical to offshore operational, occupational health, and safety.
* **Regulatory GAP Assessment:** Assess regulatory gaps relevant to offshore training and competency standards, recommending improvements for compliance and regulatory backing.
* **Further Suggestions:** Recommend additional measures to improve training, safety procedures, or regulatory guidelines for the offshore sector.
* **Desired Outcomes:**
* Develop training modules tailored to the needs identified by the working group.
* Suggest measures to ensure uniformity in training and competency levels across the offshore industry.
* Suggest ways to smoothly implement standardized training programs across the sector.
* Enhance accountability and transparency by clearly defining roles and responsibilities for training, compliance, accreditation, and implementation.
**Impact Analysis**
**Offshore Industry Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** Affected by changes in training, competency, and regulatory requirements in the offshore sector.
* **Action Required:** Be prepared to adapt to standardized training programs and comply with new guidelines developed by the Working Group.
**Offshore Personnel**
* **Impact:** May need to undergo additional training or certification to meet revised competency standards.
* **Action Required:** Participate in necessary training programs and ensure compliance with updated requirements.
**Training Providers (e.g., Maersk Training)**
* **Impact:** May need to modify their training programs to align with the new standards and guidelines.
* **Action Required:** Adapt training modules and curriculum to meet the needs identified by the Working Group and the evolving regulatory landscape.
Key Entities Referenced
Directorate General of Shipping: The issuing authority responsible for maritime affairs, including offshore operations.
Working Group for the Regulatory GAP Assessment in Offshore Sector: A group constituted by the Directorate General of Shipping to assess regulatory gaps related to training and competency in the offshore sector.
STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Convention: An international convention setting minimum qualification standards for seafarers; the working group will focus on areas not covered by STCW.
Offshore Sector: The scope of the policy document focuses on regulatory compliance of the offshore sector in India.
Regulatory GAP Assessment: The core assessment to be performed by the working group, identifying areas where regulations or training are lacking in the offshore sector.
File No:16-17011/9/2024-SD-DGS Date: 07.11.2024
DGS Order No. 16 of 2024
Subject: Formation of a Working Group on Regulatory GAP Assessment in the Offshore
Sector on a Volunteer Basis
In order to enhance the safety, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance of the offshore
sector, the Directorate General of Shipping is constituting a Working Group for the Regulatory
GAP Assessment in Offshore Sector on a Volunteer Basis. The group will focus on the training
and competency requirements for offshore personnel, with specific attention to areas not covered
by the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) Convention.
A. Composition of the Working group:
The working group shall consist of the following members, representing a broad spectrum of
industry expertise across offshore operations and maritime services.
Sr.
Name Organisation
No.
Aban Singapore Pte Ltd /
1 Shri Shubham Khandelwal International Association of Drilling Contractors
(IADC)
Shri Sanjay Kumar Viswanatha
2 Aban Singapore Pte Ltd /IADC
Menon
3 Capt Oniel V Dhir ABS Marine Services Limited
4 Shri Ravi Kumar Gummalla Dynamic Drilling
5 Shri Lokanath Tripathy Greatship India Limited
6 Shri Christopher Rodricks IMCA
7 Shri Rajeev Nayyer Institute of Marine Engineers ( India)
8 Shri Vedant Choudhury Sadhav Shipping Ltd.
9 Shri K T Thomas Seamec Limited
10 Shri Sarthak Sinha Shelf Drilling / IADC
11 Shri Prasad Palakil Mavilavalappil SHM Shipcare Private Limited
12 Shri Devang Shah Survival Systems India
13 Shri Ramalingam Natesan Westfield Energy India Pvt Ltd
14 Shri Rajonish Boruah Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC)
15 Smt. Sara Verghese Maersk Training
| Page 1 of 2B. Objective:
The primary objectives of this working group are as follows:
1. Analyze prevailing Training and Competency Structures: To assess the prevailing
frameworks related to offshore operations such as Drilling rigs, FPSO (Floating Production
Storage and Offloading units), Operation of Diving Support Vessels, DP (Dynamic
Positioning) Operations, Pipe laying, Off Shore Support vessels and Oil Spill Response etc.
2. Suggest Implementation and Evaluation Guidelines: To verify and suggest, whether
identified training programs are implemented effectively, and their impact is measured
accurately. Training Needs Assessment (TNA) will play a critical role in identifying
necessary training modules, target personnel, delivery methods, and existing and ideal
evaluation protocols.
C. Terms of Reference:
1. Training and Competency Needs Assessment: To assess and identify gaps in the
prevailing training and competency for aspects those are not covered under the STCW
Convention but are critical to the offshore industry, particularly in areas of operational,
occupational health, and safety.
2. Regulatory GAP Assessment: To conduct an assessment of regulatory gaps that are
relevant to training and competency standards in the offshore sector, recommending
improvements for compliance and regulatory backing.
3. Further Suggestions: To suggest any additional measures that may enhance the training
framework, safety procedures, or regulatory guidelines for the offshore sector.
D. Desired Outcome:
The expected outcomes of this working group include:
1. Development of Training Modules tailored to the needs identified by the group.
2. Suggestions to ensure Uniformity Across the Offshore Industry in training and
competency levels, thereby maintaining consistent safety and efficiency standards.
3. Suggestions for facilitating the Smooth Implementation of standardized training
programs across the sector.
4. Enhancing Accountability and Transparency by clearly defining roles and
responsibilities for training and compliance, accreditation and implementation.
This is issued with the approval of the Director General of Shipping.
(Shitesh Ranjan)
SS-cum-Dy. Dir. General of Shipping[Tech/Shipping Development]
| Page 2 of 2