The Foreign Owners Representatives and Ship Managers Association (FOSMA) was established in 1989 in India to represent the collective interests of foreign shipowners and ship managers operating in the country.

FOSMA was founded with the following key objectives:

• To serve as a representative body for foreign owners and ship managers in India, promoting, developing, and safeguarding their business interests.
• To foster cooperation, coordination, and goodwill among its members on matters of common interest and mutual benefit.

FOSMA is registered in India as a non-profit organization under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 (now Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013).

Role and Representation

As a representative body, FOSMA engages with relevant authorities to address matters of common concern for its member companies and their seafarers, working towards practical and balanced resolutions of industry issues.

Recognizing that the education, training, and competence of seafarers are of paramount importance, FOSMA established a dedicated institution — the FOSMA Maritime Institute and Research Organisation (FMIRO) — as a Section 25 (now Section 8) non-profit entity. Member companies contribute to this initiative through a pre-determined monthly contribution per seafarer, supporting training and educational activities for Indian seafarers.

Historical Background

Until the late 1950s, Indian officers predominantly served on Indian-flagged vessels, while Indian ratings had, for over a century, manned mainly foreign-flag ships — particularly British ones.
During the 1960s, a shift began as Indian officers increasingly found employment on foreign-flag ships. Over time, India emerged as one of the world’s leading sources of skilled maritime manpower, supplying officers and ratings to shipowners across the globe.

Formation of FOSMA

By the late 1980s, representatives of foreign shipowners and managers in India lacked a unified platform to engage with maritime authorities on critical issues such as officer certification, training standards, and regulatory compliance. With the tightening of international and national requirements under conventions like STCW, the need for a structured dialogue with the administration became evident.

To address this gap, FOSMA was formally established on 3 November 1989.

Today

From modest beginnings, FOSMA has grown into a prominent industry body representing 33 member companies, accounting for a majority of Indian seafarers employed on foreign-flag vessels. Through continued collaboration, advocacy, and training initiatives, FOSMA remains committed to advancing India’s role in the global maritime workforce.