Port Blair: In a significant move aimed at strengthening maritime safety during the monsoon season, the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), Mumbai, has issued detailed clarifications on operational norms and safety compliance for vessels operating in the Andaman & Nicobar region, including conditions for ageing vessels, weather-linked sailing permissions and stricter cargo inspection procedures.
The clarification elaborates on the applicability of provisions under DGS Circular No. 58 of 2025 and outlines mandatory safety measures to be followed by vessel owners, operators, harbour authorities and masters during monsoon operations in island waters.
According to the revised guidelines, the scope of pre-monsoon or monsoon-fitness surveys has been clarified. In cases where annual or renewal surveys are conducted between January and April, monsoon-related checks may be carried out simultaneously through the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS). In other cases, a separate pre-monsoon inspection may be conducted one to two months before the onset of the monsoon season. The survey scope will remain in accordance with the guidance prescribed in the circular.
DG Shipping further clarified that vessels holding the class notation “certified to carry containers” are exempt from the applicability of DGS Circular No. 58 of 2025, as the circular pertains specifically to general cargo vessels.
The authority also stressed that permission for monsoon-season voyages from the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) would remain strictly dependent on prevailing and forecast weather conditions. Both the Port Authority and vessel Master must independently ensure that weather conditions are safe before departure. Indicative safety thresholds have been specified as wind speeds below 20 knots and wave heights below two metres.
For vessels engaged in short-duration inter-island voyages carrying construction materials such as bulk stone, bagged sand and other general cargo, conditional permissions may be granted by IRS/MMD subject to approved cargo stowage practices, due diligence by vessel owners and proper vetting of loading plans.
The guidelines further mandate that vessel-specific loading plans must be prepared by Owners or Operators. These plans should preferably be verified by third-party surveyors. In the absence of such surveyors, the loading conditions, stability particulars and loading plans must be vetted and approved by IRS/MMD along with the Harbour Master before departure.
Additionally, the Harbour Master, Port Officer and vessel Master have been tasked with jointly verifying the vessel’s load line and actual loading condition at the port of departure. The process must include recording the date and time of departure along with photographic evidence of hatch conditions before and after loading. Copies of the certified loading conditions and departure records are also required to be submitted to MMD authorities.
A voyage-wise compliance checklist, in the format prescribed by MMD Kolkata, will now have to be furnished by all stakeholders prior to each sailing.
