Shipping industry calls for liberalising CDC norms

MUMBAI, SEPT 6: The shipping industry has called for liberalising norms for the issue of Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDCs), on the...

MUMBAI, SEPT 6: The shipping industry has called for liberalising norms for the issue of Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDCs), on the occasion of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Directorate General of Shipping in the city on Wednesday.

CDC’s are also known as seamen’s passports and issued to merchant naval officers and sailors by the Shipping Master. The issue has long been a sore point between the shipping industry and the DGS which is the nodal government agency working under the Ministry of Surface Transport (MoST) regulating all shipping activity in the country.

“The CDC is a contentious topic that attracts heated debates. The industry is of the opinion that issuing of CDCs needs to be liberalised and the issuing procedure should be made transparent for rooting out harassment, favouritism and corruption,” said Captain Easow Thomas, Chairman of the Foreign Shipowners Association (FOSMA). He was speaking at a seminar organised on achievements, reminiscencesand emerging trends in shipping’ at the YB Chavan Centre on Wednesday to mark the golden jubilee.

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“Why can’t shipowners issue CDCs?,” asked Captain RD Kohli, Adviser of the Indian Ship Owners Association (INSA). “Today, even passports are being given for 20 years, so why are CDCs being given for only five years?” he asked.

Later, R Vasudevan, Secretary Surface Transport, inaugurated the official website of the DGS, dgshipping.com, listing information about various shipping procedures and application forms.