India resumes seafarers’ training after COVID-19 shutdown

India informed maritime training institutes (MTIs) to continue seafarers’ coaching and training activities as a part of the phased lifting of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

Namely, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping) had suspended seafarers’ training in late March when infection cases began increasing.

The Directorate has now decided to permit operation of post- and pre-sea MTI based on a risk assessment and mitigation methodology detailed in SOP on phase-wise unlocking of training activities at MTI to enable safe resumption of training or teaching activities.

More specifically, all pre-sea MTI can start conduct of practical training after compliance with necessary conditions detailed in the SOP, while post-sea can start preparation for the opening of MTI in accordance with the SOP for post-sea MTI for the conduct of practical or simulator training pending issuance of an addendum to DG Shipping’s order with necessary modifications.

As for MTIs, they will need to ensure that all joiners have a negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction test, obtained within 48 hours before their reporting time. They must also follow a minimum 14-day isolation period upon joining, before starting the practical sessions.

According to the advisory stated, after the 14-day quarantine period, MTI may relax the requirements after ensuring that candidates under quarantine do not mix with candidates who have come out of quarantine.

In addition, MTIs will have to conduct on-site courses with one-third of the normal number of students, ostensibly to ensure social distancing norms. However, training institutes located in a containment zone will not be permitted to reopen until such local controls are removed. Similarly, the staff and students of marine academies whose residence is in a COVID-19-affected area will not be able to attend on-site activities.

Moreover, International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) courses that typically require seafarers to enter the water, won’t be conducted as, because of the lockdown restrictions on the use of swimming pools, training centres will not have the authority to conduct it.

Continuing, the DG Shipping has recommended that MTIs should cooperate in a way in which the students could choose a convenient location for their physical training courses.

The notification stated that candidates who have successfully finished the three-tier mechanism of training will be awarded a course completion certificate valid for 18 months. The certificate will be replaced with a regular seafarer certificate after their completion of the remaining STCW courses after the government allows the reopening of swimming pools.