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TH
17 CONVOCATION
the top 5 (five) maritime nations in terms of trained seafarers. Although Indian
seafarers’ numbers witnessed a growth of employed seafarers from 1.17 lakh in
2014-15 to 2.58 lakh in 2022 -23 (a percentage rise of 121%). The objective of the
Maritime India Vision 2023 is to ensure that India contributes 20% of the global pool
of seafarers and this implies that out of every five seafarers on a vessel, one of them
will be an Indian. The reliance of the world on India is evident and each of you will be
a national ambassador as you step into your professional domain as an active
seafarer.
As a potential seafarer it is my bounden duty to share the four pillars on which
seafaring today progresses-
The First Pillar - The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is

an international maritime treaty that sets minimum safety standards in the
construction, equipment and operation of merchant ships. The International
Maritime Organization convention requires signatory flag states to ensure that ships
flagged by them comply with at least these standards. SOLAS 1974 requires flag
states to ensure that ships flagged by them comply with the minimum safety
standards in the construction, equipment, and operation of merchant ships. The
treaty includes articles setting out general obligations, etc., followed by an annexe
divided into twelve chapters, two new chapters were added in 2016 and 2017. Of
these, chapter five (often called 'SOLAS V') is the only one that applies to all vessels
on the sea, including private yachts and small craft on local trips as well as to
commercial vessels on international passages. Many countries have turned these
international requirements into national laws so that anybody on the sea who is in
breach of SOLAS V requirements may find themselves subject to legal proceedings.

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