DGMA and Marine Research Centre Review Marine Spatial Planning Platform
India’s Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), the national maritime regulator, has reviewed a new Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) platform developed by the Marine Research Centre (MRC). The platform was presented at an online meeting on 29 October chaired by Director General Shyam Jagannathan, as reported from Kolkata in West Bengal. The work concerns the planning and protection of India’s coastal and offshore waters.
Marine spatial planning is a way of mapping and organising how sea areas are used, so that shipping lanes, ports, fishing grounds, offshore energy and protected marine areas can exist side by side with fewer conflicts. The MRC said its platform can support predictive modelling and marine environmental assessment.
The meeting reviewed progress under the existing MoU between DGMA and the MRC and discussed the next steps. Areas of cooperation include managing underwater radiated noise from ships, biofouling management on hulls, sediment management and marine spatial planning. The two sides also proposed work on maritime capacity building, outreach to industry and engagement with coastal communities.
These topics are gaining attention at the IMO, which has issued guidelines on reducing underwater noise from ships and on controlling biofouling to limit the spread of invasive species. Building local research and data tools helps India shape its own rules and protect its long coastline while ports and shipping grow.
For seafarers, this direction means hull condition, biofouling records and noise-reduction measures are likely to receive closer attention in future. Officers who keep these records in good order will help their ships meet changing requirements.
