Shipping DG offers one-time amnesty to candidates who forged course certificates

Directorate General of Shipping on Thursday said it has offered one-time amnesty scheme for as many as 3,762 candidates who acquired false or forged certificates from maritime training institutes without attending classes.

The DGS has also started the process of withdrawing of approvals of these institutes, blacklisting their promoters, withdrawal of CDC and CoCs of the principals and course in-charge as well as blocking of e-migrate facility of seafarers.

"Since most of these 3,762 candidates have admitted to their wrong doings, we have, in consultation with the ministry of shipping, decided to grant one-time amnesty to them, as a purely one-time measure," DGS Amitabh Kumar said in a press conference.

He said the candidates involved in this fake certificate racket have not been allowed to take up any job since July last year and have already served punishment of nearly seven months, which has caused them great financial hardship.

"These candidates were misguided by the agents and are remorseful of their conduct and are willing to redeem themselves by undergoing the training again," Kumar said, adding thatif similar transgressions are repeated by them in future, they will attract penalty of cancellation of CDC and debarment of up to five years, he added.

Speaking about the recent attacks by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea which had Indian nationals on board, Kumar said the authority has sent letters to the Maritime Administration and Safety Agency of Nigeria seeking details of the prosecution carried out of the pirates.

"We have also taken up the matter at the level of G7 Friends of Gulf of Guinea and as well as with the Secretary General of International Maritime Organisation (IMO)," he added.

Three vessels managed by Mumbai based shipping firms and having Indians on-board including MT Nave Constellation, MT Duke and TSHD MV Ambika, were subjected to attack in and around Nigerian coastal waters in the recent past.