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Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed Parliament that 4,052 Indian seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region and 62 India-bound vessels have crossed the Strait of Hormuz safely. The government has issued maritime advisories, activated 24x7 control rooms and digital monitoring systems to ensure seafarer safety amid rising regional tensions.

New Delhi, Aug 7: Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, informed Parliament on Friday that as many as 4,052 seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region and 62 India-bound vessels have successfully transited Strait of Hormuz (as on August 3), out of which 23 were Indian flagged and 39 under foreign flags.

The minister highlighted that considering the evolving maritime security situation, the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) progressively updates its advisories to enhance the safety and security of the Indian seafarers amid the Middle East conflict.

In view of renewed attacks on merchant vessels, the Directorate General of Shipping has mandated the implementation of full International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code security measures and advised against the deployment of Indian seafarers on voyages transiting through the Gulf region, the minister said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

A DGMA advisory has also been issued for Indian and foreign flagged vessels carrying Indian seafarers operating in the Black Sea, requiring enhanced caution, voyage-specific security assessments, strict adherence to security advisories and immediate reporting of incidents.