About Us
Crew Branch, Directorate General of Shipping
Overview
The Crew Branch of the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, is India’s central maritime labour authority. It is responsible for the governance, welfare, certification, protection, and global mobility of Indian seafarers, and serves as the nodal institution through which India advances its aspiration to become the world’s leading supplier of skilled maritime human capital.
E-MIGRATE System for Seafarers
India is today among the top three suppliers of trained seafarers to the global merchant fleet, alongside the Philippines and China. Indian seafarers account for close to 12 percent of the world’s seafaring workforce, and their numbers have grown from about 1.25 lakh a decade ago to over 3 lakh at present. The Crew Branch works to consolidate and expand this position, in line with the national objective of raising India’s share of the global seafaring workforce to at least 20 percent in the years ahead.
The Crew Branch discharges its mandate in alignment with the applicable international conventions, including the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC), 2006, the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and with national law under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025. Its work is guided by the Maritime India Vision 2030, the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, and India’s long-term blue economy aspirations.
India and the Global Maritime Workforce
Global demand for qualified seafarers continues to rise steadily. According to the Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, published by the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), approximately 2.57 million seafarers currently serve the world merchant fleet, operating 85,148 merchant ships. The report estimates that the industry will require an additional 113,735 certified officers by 2030 to crew the expanding global fleet, and identifies a shortfall of about 39,100 certified officers in 2026. Demand for STCW-certified seafarers has grown by 35 percent since the previous report in 2021, underscoring a widening gap between the supply of and demand for qualified officers.
This gap presents a significant strategic opportunity for India. With its large pool of trained mariners, established maritime education and training infrastructure, competitive skill base, and growing international acceptance, India is well placed to meet a substantial part of this global requirement. The efforts of the Crew Branch in training quality, certification integrity, welfare delivery, and transparent recruitment are directed at enabling India to bridge this shortfall and to strengthen its standing as a preferred and dependable source of maritime talent worldwide.
Mandate of the Crew Branch
The Crew Branch is the nodal authority for all matters concerning Indian seafarers. Its central mandate is to promote and safeguard the safety, health, well-being, welfare, rights, dignity, and social protection of seafarers. Alongside this, it regulates certification, documentation, recruitment, and digital governance, and provides grievance redressal, crisis response, and international coordination. The Branch ensures that seafarer-related services and regulatory systems operate with transparency and efficiency, in conformity with India’s international commitments and national law.
Core Functions
1. Seafarer Welfare and Social Protection
- Enforces welfare entitlements under the MLC, 2006, covering wages, repatriation, medical care, accommodation, food, and safe working and living conditions.
- Supervises the Seafarers’ Welfare Fund Society (SWFS) and administers welfare schemes for seafarers and their families, including medical benefits, death compensation, educational assistance, and emergency support.
- Oversees the Seamen’s Provident Fund Organisation (SPFO) and ensures the secure management of provident fund contributions, claims, and withdrawals.
2. Certification, Documentation and Digital Governance
- Issues and manages seafarer identity and service documents, including the Indian National Database of Seafarers (INDoS) number, the Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC), and the Seafarers’ Identity Document (SID), Competancy of Cook (COC)
- Operates the eSamudra portal to deliver seafarer services digitally, including applications, renewals, service record updates, disciplinary actions, and grievance handling.
3. Recruitment and Placement Regulation
- Licenses and audits all Recruitment and Placement Services Licence (RPSL) agencies, enforcing zero-fee recruitment, transparent employment agreements, and digital submission of the Articles of Agreement (AoA).
- Ensures compliance with MLC Regulation 1.4, and administers suspension, blacklisting, and disciplinary mechanisms for agencies in default.
4. Grievance Redressal and Crisis Management
- Operates a centralised 24x7 grievance redressal mechanism through the DGCOMM Centre and the e-Navik platform, providing round-the-clock receipt, tracking, escalation, and resolution of seafarer and family grievances, distress calls, welfare concerns, and maritime crisis situations, including abandonment, missing crew, and detentions.
- Coordinates with Indian embassies, the Ministry of External Affairs, seafarer unions , the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and port authorities for emergency repatriation, welfare support, and safety interventions.
- Maintains structured onboard and onshore complaint mechanisms, including a dedicated redressal system for women seafarers under the framework of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act.
5. Regulatory Compliance and Enforcement
- Conducts MLC inspections on Indian-flag vessels and liaises with Port State Control on foreign-flag compliance.
- Handles disciplinary inquiries relating to misconduct, forged or fraudulent documentation, and other violations, including the suspension or cancellation of the CDC and SID.
6. Stakeholder Coordination and Maritime Governance
- Engages with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the ITF, seafarer unions, and shipowners’ associations (INSA, MASSA, FOSMA), and coordinates with the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the Mercantile Marine Departments (MMDs).
- Organises outreach and cooperation initiatives such as Crew Milap and RPSL symposiums, and participates in international maritime forums.
Legal and Policy Framework
The Crew Branch operates within a comprehensive legal and policy framework. Domestically, its functions are anchored in the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, which came into force on 15 March 2026, replacing the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. The 2025 Act modernises India’s maritime legal regime, aligns it with international conventions, and strengthens statutory protections for seafarer welfare, training, certification, and social security. Internationally, the Branch gives effect to the MLC, 2006, the STCW Convention, SOLAS, and UNCLOS. Its strategic direction is set by the Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, which together chart India’s course towards global maritime leadership and a sustainable blue economy.
Vision
To establish India as a globally leading seafarer nation, anchored in high-quality training, robust welfare systems, transparent recruitment practices, digital excellence, maritime safety, and the comprehensive protection of seafarer rights, aligned with the Maritime India Vision 2030, the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, and India’s long-term blue economy aspirations.
Mission
- To uphold the highest standards of seafarer welfare, safety, dignity, and social protection across all maritime operations.
- To ensure digital-first, transparent, and efficient delivery of certification, documentation, recruitment, and grievance services.
- To strengthen India’s global footprint by enhancing training quality, improving employability, supporting innovation, and aligning with international maritime conventions.
- To function as a responsive, people-centric regulator capable of rapid crisis response, global coordination, and proactive policy reform.
- To promote gender inclusivity, mental well-being, fair treatment, and safe working environments for all Indian seafarers.
References
- BIMCO and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Seafarer Workforce Report 2026, June 2026. Available at: https://www.bimco.org/products/publications/titles/seafarer-workforce-report
- BIMCO and International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Seafarer Workforce Report 2021: The Global Supply and Demand for Seafarers in 2021.
