Sources said that this will clear backlog of Structured Shipboard Training Programme (SSTP).
The order, issued on May 9 by Captain S K Shukla, Deputy Nautical Adviser, reads: "There is a need felt for reducing the SSTP backlog, which not only creates unemployment among the trainees, it impedes supply of manpower to the shipping industry in India and worldwide".
As per the order, the foreign ships entering Indian waters and getting certificate of endorsement (CoE) will have to deploy one B.Sc nautical trainee for the nautical side and one GME trainee on the engineering side.
The ship owners may have the option to arrange for providing of such training on another Indian ship or a vessel of the company's subsidiary abroad, the order said.
"Further, the master and the chief engineer of the ship has to undertake to supervise the quality of the training," the order said
"We have taken this step at a temporary level till the time the backlog gets cleared, which will take two years", said S B Agnihotri, Director General of Shipping.
There are around 4,000-5,000 trainees waiting for on onboard training, sources said, adding that the measure has been taken as the trainees are required to have minimum on-board training under the SSTP.
