Membership Benefits

The Foreign Ship-owners Representatives andShip Managers Association was established in Indiain 1989 with the following objects:

1. To provide body representative of the foreign owners and ship managers operating in India for the purpose of developing, promoting and protecting their business activities and the interest of foreign owners in India.

2. To encourage and promote cordial relationship and unanimity among representatives of foreign owners and ship managers on all subjects involving their common good.

The Association 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).

As a body representative, the Association takes up matters of common interest of Member Companies and their seafarers with the Authorities concerned to obtain a rational resolution of all the issues involved.

Taking in to account that the education, training and competence standards of seafarers is of primary concern and priority of all ship managers in India, the Association, in addition, established a special purpose vehicle towards achieving this object by registering “FOSMA MARITIME INSTITUTE AND RESEARCH ORGANISATION ” ,a non profit organization under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956(now Section 8 of the Companies Act, 2013).

All the member companies of the Association receive from their Principals / Ship owners and voluntary contribution towards education and training to this Organisation (FMIRO).

Activities Of “fosma” As An Association Include:

Representations to the Mercantile Marine Dep Located at Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Kochi, Chennai, Kandla and Goa

  • Sorting out difficulties of the Member Companies and their Seafarers regarding training, Certification, Endorsements
  • Collection of COCs and other Endorsements in case an officer or Rating has been sent to a ship in emergency or during weekends, without being able to collect his certificate
  • Rationalization of the Contents and Format of the Articles of Agreement

Representations to Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai

  • Sorting out difficulties of the Member Companies and their Seafarers regarding training, examination, Certification and Endorsements
  • Innumerable matters concerning RPS Rules, Circulars, SID, MLC, and several other matters.
  • Trustee of Seamen’s Provident Fund Organisation (SPFO)
  • On the Committee of Management of Seafarers Welfare Fund Society (SWFS)

Representations to the Indian Maritime University and its constituent colleges

  • To safeguard the interest of Members for sponsored candidates
  • To send sponsored candidates to these colleges for pre-sea training

Representations to Ministry of Shipping, Govt. of India

  • To Enhance Welfare measures for Seafarers, Member of National Welfare Board for Seafarers
  • To request for Indian Navy Escort for ships transiting the Pirate infested Gulf of Aden
  • For Release of Seafarers held hostage by Pirates on hijacked ships
  • To apprise the Ministry about progress in revision of STCW’95
  • Member of National Shipping Board

Representations to Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India

  • To request for Indian Navy Escort for ships transiting the Pirate infested Gulf of Aden
  • To initiate international actions in this matter
  • For Release of Seafarers held hostage by Pirates on hijacked ships
  • To stop criminalization of Seafarers by intervening at diplomatic level with Government of Korea in Hebei Spirit case

Representations to Ministry of Labour, Govt. of India

  • For Ratification of Maritime Labour Convention, 2006

Representations to Ministry of Law, Govt. of India

  • For rationalization of Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers) Rules
  • For promulgation of Merchant Shipping (STCW) Rules

Representations to Parliament of India

  • To keep in abeyance PART VI A Section 87 A to D of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958 which prescribed mandatory service on Indian Ships for Officers after obtaining each Certificate of Competency and therefore not being permitted to work on foreign flag ships

Representations to Parliamentary Committee on Transport and Tourism through Rajya Sabha Secretariat

  • To represent against the adverse provisions of Admiralty Bill
  • To represent against setting Headquarters of Indian Maritime University in Chennai

Participation in the IBF (International Bargaining Forum consisting of International Maritime Employers council – IMEC and International Transport- workers Federation – ITF) negotiations with ITF and ITF affiliated unions for wage and service conditions for Indian officers and ratings (IBF agreement)

    • To participate in the above negotiations as representatives of ship-owners on a bi-annual or tri-annual basis, as the case may be.

Participation in the negotiations with ITF affiliated unions for wage and service conditions for Indian officers and ratings (ITF TCC agreement)

      • To participate in the above negotiations as representatives of ship-owners on a bi-annual or tri-annual basis, as the case may be, or annually if required.

Participation in the negotiations with Norwegian ships owners association, Norwegian seafarers unions and local ITF affiliated unions for wage and serviceconditions for Indian officers and ratings serving onboard Norwegian flag and Norwegian owned vessels

      • To participate in the above negotiations as representatives of ship-owners on a bi-annual basis.

Representations to Embassies in Delhi

      • Norwegian Embassy in Delhi for matters of Indo-Norwegian Maritime Co-operation
      • For Introduction of NIS Flag State Endorsement Course for Indian Officers

Representations to Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata

      • Panama Consulate to prevent the issuance of additional Certificate of Proficiency as Ship Security Officer
      • Belgian Consulate for expediting the issuance Schengen Visas and green channel for FOSMA Members
      • Netherland Consulate for expediting the issuance Schengen Visas and green channel for FOSMA Members
      • Belgian Consulate for expediting the issuance Schengen Visas and green channel for FOSMA Members
      • Korean Consulate to stop criminalization of Seafarers by Government of Korea in the M. T. Hebei Spirit case
      • Norwegian Consulate for Introduction of NIS Flag State Endorsement Course for Indian Officers

Representations toInternational Maritime Organisation:

      • Participated in Revision of STCW Convention in all sessions between 2007 and 2010 as part of Government of India delegation. Also attended the STW / HTW Session in 2014 and 2015
      • Participated in Revision of Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meetings at IMO as part of Government of India delegation

Representations toInternational labour Organisation

    • Maritime Labour Convention 2006
    • Recruitment and Placement of Seafarers Convention ILO 179
    • Minimum Standards convention ILO 147