India tightens entry rules for offshore ships registered abroad

India has further tightened entry rules for foreign ships used in offshore exploration and drilling activities along the country’s coast.

Maritime regulator, the Directorate General of Shipping, has made it mandatory for foreign-registered ships seeking work in India to be classed with the country’s classification society, the , or IRS. This is seen as another attempt by the regulator to raise the profile of the Indian entity among the global shipping community over a key aspect of ship operations. “The decision will lead to dual classification of offshore ships and add to the costs of oil and gas exploration firms,” said an industry official. Classification societies set technical rules on safety and protection of ships, confirm that designs and calculations meet these rules, survey ships and structures during construction and commissioning, and periodically survey vessels to ensure they meet the rules as per the requirements of the International Maritime Organization, or IMO, the global maritime regulator. Ships not classed with or certified by a classification society are not allowed to take to the sea. Foreign ships are normally classed with one of the 10 full-time members of the International Association of Classification Societies, or IACS, the main global body of classification societies. IRS is an associate member of IACS. The classification rule is the latest in series of regulatory tightening. It also ruled that foreign registered offshore ships working in India’s territorial waters should be less than 25 years old. Such ships should be inspected and any deficiency rectified before they enter the Indian waters. India-registered ships are exempt from this rule as they are already registered and licensed to ply in Indian waters.

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