**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3335 on August 8, 2025, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways addressed inquiries regarding the shipping industry's role in international trade, support for marine engineering students, India's position as a supplier of seafarers, and steps to enhance job opportunities in the maritime sector to achieve Viksit Bharat 2047.
The Ministry affirmed that Indian shipping is crucial to international trade, handling approximately 95% of India's Exim trade by volume and 70% by value through maritime transport. The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), under the Ministry, regulates maritime education and training, ensuring compliance with international standards for seafarer certification.
India has emerged as a leading supplier of seafarers globally. As of June 2025, the country has over 500,000 registered seafarers, with 318,322 actively deployed worldwide, including 6,413 women. An additional 60,000 skilled non-seafarers contribute to the maritime workforce. The DGS has approved 178 Maritime Training Institutes offering pre-sea and post-sea courses and has authorized 563 Recruitment and Placement Services Licence agencies to facilitate shipboard employment for Indian seafarers.
Since 2014-15, the DGS, through the Maritime Training Trust, has provided scholarships to women seafarers. Until 2024-25, 2,989 women seafarers have received scholarships, with a total disbursement of Rs. 28.38 Cr. The DGS, through the Seafarers Welfare Fund Society (SWFS), also provides welfare measures, including:
* Survival Benefit Scheme
* Invalidity Benefit Scheme
* Family Benefit Welfare Scheme
* Maternity Benefit Scheme
* Old Age Benefit
* Death on Board Benefit Scheme
* Ex-Gratia Support Benefit Scheme for Stranded/Abandoned Seafarers and their Families
* Financial Assistance to children of seafarers.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: A ministry in the Government of India responsible for ports, shipping, and waterways.
Sarbananda Sonowal: The Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Directorate General of Shipping: A subordinate office under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways that regulates maritime education and training.
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for seafarers: An international convention establishing basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers.
Maritime Training Institutes: Educational institutions approved by the Directorate General of Shipping offering marine courses.
Maritime Training Trust: An organization providing scholarships to women seafarers, managed by the DGS.
Seafarers Welfare Fund Society: An organization established by DGS to provide welfare measures to seafarers.
Viksit Bharat 2047: A Government of India initiative, referenced in the context of increasing international trade.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3335
ANSWERED ON 08.08.2025
SHIPPING INDUSTRY
3335. SMT. D K ARUNA:
SHRI EATALA RAJENDER:
SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:
Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:
प(cid:517)न, पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी
(a) whether shipping is the backbone of international trade and every fabric of our life
is weaved by the shipping industry, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government is helping the students on ‘Career Pathways in Marine
Engineering: From Ports to Offshore Platforms’;
(c) whether it is true that India is the third largest supplier of seafarers in the world
after China and the Philippines, if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps being taken by the Government to help students to take jobs in marine
industry and to increase the international trade in future for Viksit Bharat 2047?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)
(a) & (b) Yes. Indian Shipping serves as backbone of international trade. Of India’s Exim
trade, around 95% by volume and 70% by value is done through maritime transport.
Further, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), a sub-ordinate office under Ministry
of Ports, Shipping and Waterways regulates, supervises and monitors Maritime Education
and Training of seafarers leading to Certificate of Competency in accordance with
International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for
seafarers.
(c) & (d) India has steadily emerged as one of the top five supplier nations of seafarers to
the global maritime industry. As of June 2025, the country has over 5,00,000 registered
seafarers, with 3,18,322 actively deployed worldwide, including 6,413 women seafarers.In addition to this core workforce, India maintains a supplementary pool of nearly 60,000
skilled non-seafarers, such as marine technicians, welders, and fitters, who contribute
significantly to the global maritime workforce.
To promote the seafaring profession, the Government of India, through the DGS,
has approved 178 Maritime Training Institutes offering both pre-sea and post-sea marine
courses. Additionally, DGS has authorized 563 Recruitment and Placement Services
Licence agencies to engage Indian seafarers for shipboard employment. Through the
Maritime Training Trust, DGS is providing scholarships since the year 2014-15 to women
seafarers. Till 2024-25, 2989 women seafarers have received scholarships and the total
amount disbursed for this scholarship is Rs.28.38 Cr. Further, various welfare measures
that have been instituted by DGS through the Seafarers Welfare Fund Society (SWFS)
are outlined below:
i) Survival Benefit Scheme
ii) Invalidity Benefit Scheme
iii) Family Benefit Welfare Scheme
iv) Maternity Benefit Scheme
v) Old Age Benefit
vi) Death on Board Benefit Scheme
vii) Ex-Gratia Support Benefit Scheme for Stranded / Abandoned Seafarers Family
viii) Financial Assistance by way of award to children of seafarers
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