Making Seafarers Future-Ready - Pratik Bijlani
Shipping, lauded India's 17% annual growth in seafarer numbers while urging a strategic shi to meet Mari me India Vision targets of 500,000 seafarers. He emphasized diversifica on beyond tankers into gas, bulk and cruise segments, segment-specific training including hospitality skills, and greater use of simulators to address sea- me constraints. His four-point focus—digital and AI readiness, green fuel preparedness, regulatory adaptability, and gender diversity—framed the roadmap for a globally compe ve mari me workforce.
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he 2nd edi on of ATPI–Marex Global Crewing & Training Summit & Kash Awards 2026, held at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel Delhi Airport, New Delhi on 13th February, brought together senior mari me leaders, policymakers, trainers, regulators, shipowners, managers and seafarer advocates to deliberate on the most pressing issues shaping the future of global shipping. Convened in the na onal capital, the summit reinforced the growing recogni on that India's mari me ambi ons hinge on the strength, skills and wellbeing of its human capital. From shipmanning and training reform to digital transforma on, decarbonisa on, mental health and gender diversity, the conversa ons were candid, forward-looking and solu on-driven. With more than 200 global mari me decision-makers in a endance—including shipowners, charterers, traders, brokers, government officials, training ins tutes, vessel operators, ship managers, captains and manning companies—the summit underscored the collec ve responsibility to make seafarers futureready. Delivering the welcome address, Capt. Kamal Chadha, Managing Director of Marex Media, set the tone by emphasizing collabora on and seafarer-centric transforma on under the theme “Making Seafarers Future-Ready.” He urged stakeholders to move beyond dialogue toward partnerships that strengthen training ecosystems and sustainable workforce development. Capt. Rajesh Tandon, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Advisors and CEO of FOSMA, outlined India's mari me manpower ambi ons, highligh ng significant government investment plans and the goal of increasing India's share of global seafarers from 12% to 20%. He drew a en on to bo lenecks in onboard training slots and called for innova ve solu ons such as dedicated cadet training ships and structured trainer development programs. Stressing the importance of data-driven feedback systems and early career awareness at the school level, he advocated building a resilient and future-focused mari me talent pipeline. Guest of Honour Mr. Amitabh Kumar, Former Director General of
Guest of Honour Fredrik Bjerke Abdelmaguid, Deputy Consul General at the Royal Norwegian Consulate General, highlighted Norway–India coopera on in mari me training and seafarer welfare under the TEPA agreement. He underscored the growing presence of Indian seafarers in the global fleet and emphasized shared commitments to gender equality, alterna ve fuels and sustainable innova on. Chief Guest Dr. Shishir Shrotriya, Coordinator at the Centre for Mari me Economy and Connec vity (CMEC), described the summit as a defining moment for mari me manpower development. He stated, “The ATPI–Marex Global Crewing & Training Summit & Kash Awards 2026 in New Delhi is more than a conference—it is a collec ve call to ac on. By bringing together policymakers, global shipowners, training ins tu ons and seafarers, the summit reinforces a shared commitment to making mari me manpower future-ready while celebra ng excellence across the industry.” Emphasizing a human-centric approach amid rapid decarbonisa on and digitalisa on, he called for advanced training in cybersecurity, alterna ve fuels, IMDG and IGF Codes, and Polar compliance, alongside curriculum reform and faculty upskilling. A video message from Prof. Maximo Q. Mejia of the World Mari me University reinforced the need to revise the STCW framework to address cyber risks, mental wellbeing and alterna ve fuels, urging experien al and technology-enabled learning. Capt. Sarabjit Butalia echoed these concerns, stressing that without genuine industry investment, research and empathy toward seafarers' reali es, progress toward 2040-ready competencies would remain fragmented. Panel discussions provided granular insight into industry expecta ons. The first panel, moderated by Capt. S.M. Halbe, examined shipowners' perspec ves on evolving competence requirements. Par cipants emphasized technological agility, resilience, adaptability and stronger so skills, with recogni on that future seafarers must be digitally aware yet not digitally dependent. The second panel, moderated by Capt. Yashoverman Sharma, debated whether Indian seafarers are future-ready, concluding that systemic investment, cultural change and structured cadet development are essen al to close skill gaps. The third panel focused on fostering a culture of wellbeing,