India recently issued a significant statement regarding maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels in its waters. Shipping Secretary TK Ramachandran, at the 134th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of these incidents, particularly those linked to undeclared hazardous cargoes that pose serious safety risks.
The Indian government called for urgent enhancements in safety protocols for container shipping. It highlighted the proactive roles of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard in ensuring maritime safety and urged the IMO to reinforce international guidelines concerning the packaging, declaration, and monitoring of lithium-ion batteries and IMDG cargo. India proposed that the IMO lead investigations into these incidents to establish global best practices and improve operational norms for container ship safety.
Additionally, India shared its achievement of a 650% increase in female seafarers, reflecting its commitment to equality in the maritime sector. However, serious incidents like the sinking of MSC ELSA 3 and the fire on WAN HAI 503 highlighted existing vulnerabilities in emergency response frameworks, underscoring the need for improved safety measures.
