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India’s maritime regulator, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has barred 366 foreign-flagged vessels from employing Indian seafarers following multiple cases of crew abandonment, unpaid wages, and welfare violations. The move is being viewed as one of the strongest enforcement actions taken by Indian authorities to safeguard the interests of Indian maritime workers and strengthen accountability in global shipping operations.
According to DG Shipping, the affected vessels were involved in serious breaches such as non-payment of salaries, denial of compensation in cases involving death or missing crew members, failure to arrange repatriation, and exposing seafarers to inhumane working conditions. The regulator classified 278 ships as “restricted” and 88 vessels as “blacklisted,” prohibiting Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agencies from deploying Indian crew on these ships with immediate effect.
The directive also requires all RPSL agencies to submit details of Indian seafarers currently serving on these vessels within 14 days. The regulator stated that the action was necessary due to repeated violations of international maritime conventions and Indian seafarer welfare regulations.
India is among the world’s largest suppliers of maritime manpower, with thousands of Indian officers and ratings serving on foreign-going vessels across global trade routes. However, rising cases of abandonment have increasingly exposed vulnerabilities in international shipping oversight. Industry reports indicate that Indian seafarers accounted for the highest number of abandoned crew members globally in 2025, with over 1,100 Indians stranded aboard vessels due to financial disputes, sanctions-related disruptions, or shipowner insolvencies.
The crackdown also comes at a time when global shipping is facing mounting operational and geopolitical pressures, including disruptions in major maritime corridors and the growing use of “flags of convenience” by shipowners seeking lower regulatory scrutiny. Labour organisations and maritime unions have repeatedly called for stronger protections for seafarers, particularly in cases where shipowners evade wage obligations or abandon vessels in foreign ports.
For India’s supply chain and logistics ecosystem, the development signals a stronger compliance-driven approach in maritime employment practices. Analysts believe the decision could improve confidence among Indian seafarers while compelling foreign ship operators and recruitment agencies to adopt stricter labour and welfare standards. At the same time, the move reinforces India’s growing role in shaping global maritime governance and responsible shipping practices.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 https://cargoconnect.co.in/ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
India’s maritime regulator, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has barred 366 foreign-flagged vessels from employing Indian seafarers following multiple cases of crew abandonment, unpaid wages, and welfare violations. The move is being viewed as one of the strongest enforcement actions taken by Indian authorities to safeguard the interests of Indian maritime workers and strengthen accountability in global shipping operations. According to DG Shipping, the affected vessels were involved in serious breaches such as non-payment of salaries, denial of compensation in cases involving death or missing crew members, failure to arrange repatriation, and exposing seafarers to inhumane working conditions. The regulator classified 278 ships as “restricted” and 88 vessels as “blacklisted,” prohibiting Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) agencies from deploying Indian crew on these ships with immediate effect. The directive also requires all RPSL agencies to submit details of Indian seafarers currently serving on these vessels within 14 days. The regulator stated that the action was necessary due to repeated violations of international maritime conventions and Indian seafarer welfare regulations. India is among the world’s largest suppliers of maritime manpower, with thousands of Indian officers and ratings serving on foreign-going vessels across global trade routes. However, rising cases of abandonment have increasingly exposed vulnerabilities in international shipping oversight. Industry reports indicate that Indian seafarers accounted for the highest number of abandoned crew members globally in 2025, with over 1,100 Indians stranded aboard vessels due to financial disputes, sanctions-related disruptions, or shipowner insolvencies. The crackdown also comes at a time when global shipping is facing mounting operational and geopolitical pressures, including disruptions in major maritime corridors and the growing use of “flags of convenience” by shipowners seeking lower regulatory scrutiny. Labour organisations and maritime unions have repeatedly called for stronger protections for seafarers, particularly in cases where shipowners evade wage obligations or abandon vessels in foreign ports. For India’s supply chain and logistics ecosystem, the development signals a stronger compliance-driven approach in maritime employment practices. Analysts believe the decision could improve confidence among Indian seafarers while compelling foreign ship operators and recruitment agencies to adopt stricter labour and welfare standards. At the same time, the move reinforces India’s growing role in shaping global maritime governance and responsible shipping practices. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐓𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 https://cargoconnect.co.in/ 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬!
Maersk has announced the implementation of a Heavy Load Surcharge (HLS) on selected container shipments moving from key Far East Asian ports to destinations across Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, effective from May 29, 2026. The surcharge will apply to 20-foot dry equipment with a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) exceeding 20 metric tonnes and 40-foot Non-Operating Reefer Containers (40NOR) exceeding specified weight thresholds on shipments originating from Shanghai, Qingdao, Xingang and Dalian in China. Under the revised tariff structure, Maersk will levy a surcharge of USD 400 per container on eligible 20-foot dry cargo shipments bound for Santos, Itapoa, Itajai and Paranagua in Brazil, as well as Montevideo in Uruguay and Buenos Aires in Argentina. For 40NOR equipment, a USD 400 surcharge will apply on cargo exceeding 23 metric tonnes for Brazil and Uruguay routes, while shipments to Buenos Aires will attract a USD 200 surcharge for cargo exceeding 25 metric tonnes. The affected 20-foot dry equipment categories include dry containers, bulk units, flat racks, open tops, tank containers and other specialised configurations. Maersk stated that the surcharge will apply across all ocean products, including contract cargo, SPOT bookings and Maersk Go services. The company also clarified that the surcharge is triggered when the container’s Verified Gross Mass — including cargo, bracing, dunnage and container tare weight — exceeds the prescribed threshold limits. The move reflects continued operational and vessel load management measures being adopted by ocean carriers amid evolving cargo weight patterns and network optimisation requirements on long-haul trade lanes between Asia and South America.
India has taken a significant step towards strengthening its maritime infrastructure and shipbuilding ecosystem with the signing of a landmark tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the development of the country’s first mega greenfield shipyard at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. The project is expected to become a strategic catalyst for India’s ambitions under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. The agreement has been signed between HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HD KSOE), National Shipbuilding & Heavy Industries Park Tamil Nadu Limited (NSHIP-TN), and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL). The proposed facility will have an envisaged annual capacity of 2.5 million Gross Tonnage (GT), positioning it among the largest shipbuilding facilities in the country. Located in the strategically important port city of Thoothukudi, the mega shipyard is expected to significantly enhance India’s domestic shipbuilding capacity while reducing dependence on foreign shipyards for commercial and strategic vessel construction. Industry observers believe the project will strengthen India’s competitiveness in global maritime trade and logistics while supporting the government’s broader vision of positioning India among the world’s top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. Beyond infrastructure development, the project is expected to generate nearly 15,000 direct jobs once operations stabilise, along with thousands of indirect employment opportunities across ancillary manufacturing, logistics, marine engineering, and supply chain services. The shipyard will also serve as the anchor facility for the larger Thoothukudi Shipbuilding Cluster being developed in Tamil Nadu. The collaboration further reflects deepening India–South Korea maritime ties and is expected to facilitate technology transfer, workforce skilling, localisation of marine equipment manufacturing, and adoption of advanced green and digital shipbuilding technologies. Experts note that the project could accelerate the growth of a robust maritime supply chain ecosystem in southern India, benefiting logistics providers, exporters, and heavy engineering industries alike. With global demand for shipbuilding diversifying beyond traditional hubs, the Thoothukudi mega shipyard could emerge as a transformative project for India’s maritime economy and logistics sector in the coming decades.
