In order to keep track of Indian seafarers on both Indian and foreign-flagged vessels, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) has launched the Seafarer Tracking Module on its e-NAVIK portal.
“In view of the prevailing geopolitical tensions and heightened maritime security threats, merchant shipping and seafarers are facing increased risks in various regions, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Bab-el-Mandeb, Black Sea and Somalia. A significant number of Indian seafarers are serving onboard both Indian-flagged and foreign-flagged vessels operating in or transiting through these regions, thereby exposing them to the associated maritime security risks,” DGMA said in a circular dated September 4, 2026.
In view of this, DGMA has found it necessary to establish a mechanism for monitoring Indian seafarers operating in these areas, with a view to facilitating timely information, coordination and prompt response in the event of any eventuality. The module is currently operating in its beta version and, once updated by the Recruitment and Placement Service Licencees (RPSLs) and shipping companies, will enable effective monitoring of Indian seafarers.
DGMA has accordingly asked all RPSLs and shipping companies to update the module with details of the seafarer, the vessel and its position, including vessel identification and voyage-related data, details of Indian seafarers onboard, and RPSL particulars, wherever applicable. For cases where the position of the vessel is not known, the vessel may be added by selecting the geographical region from a drop-down menu, with positional data updated when available.
Once duly updated, the module will provide a centralised database of Indian seafarers onboard vessels, especially those operating in high-risk regions, facilitating enhanced maritime coordinated response during emergencies. “With immediate effect, all RPSLs and concerned shipowners/operators shall ensure that all vessels, along with its Indian crew on board, which are operating in the above-mentioned high-risk area are updated in this module on priority. Thereafter, only the vessel’s position (daily basis) and crew sign-on & sign-off need to be updated at regular intervals,” the authority stated.
DGMA said it is requesting all RPSLs and Indian shipowners/operators to immediately update all vessels with Indian seafarers in the following high-risk areas: Persian Gulf (West of Strait of Hormuz), Gulf of Oman (East of Strait of Hormuz), Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Black Sea. The Directorate said it is continuously exploring options to automate the system with minimum manual updation, and clarified that data updated on the module, particularly information relating to the position of vessels, will be treated as confidential and access-controlled, accessible only to authorised personnel through designated login credentials.
According to details shared by the Ministry of External Affairs, 10 Indian seafarers have lost their lives due to the Middle East crisis. After a brief lull, hostilities have resumed in the region, and five more Indian seafarers have been confirmed dead in the Black Sea region.
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