Online ship reporting

18 Apr 2024 / India

Following observations on maritime security, India has introduced an online Ship Reporting Form to be completed by vessels passing through sensitive regions.

According to the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) Circular No.08 of 2024, the online form has been established due to the increasing number of vessels reporting to the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) and DG Comm Centre and in response to the need to simplify and enhance the mechanism for reporting and tracking maritime activities to safeguard merchant ships, their crew and maritime trade flows.

In the event of any incidents or security escalation in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, Bab al Mandeb Strait, Red Sea, Somali Basin and Arabian Sea region, the reporting protocol is as follows:

  • All vessels transiting through the aforementioned areas are requested to submit their details daily via the online Ship Reporting Form, which can be accessed at http://117.219.8.190/ifcior/
  • This measure is critical for maintaining a comprehensive and up-to-date vessel database which will facilitate easier tracking and coordination at the Centre if the Indian Navy is required to respond to an incident
  • There is no requirement to forward to position report specified in Annexure I of DGS Circular No.27 of 2023 as the daily reporting using the online link will take care of the same

In the event of a maritime security incident, the following procedure is advised:

  • Contact the nearest Indian Navy vessel and coalition warship using VHF Channel 16, to provide the current location, describe the situation, communicate the intended course of action and seek further guidance
  • Inform the CSO of the vessel who can convey the information immediately by phone/WhatsApp, preferably to the following centres which are manned 24x7:
    - DGComm Centre ([email protected]) Whatsapp +91 8657549760 (alternative numbers +91 22 22613606 / +91 8657549752)
    - IFC_IOR ([email protected]) Whatsapp +91 7428963733 (alternative number, landline +91 124 2208385)
  • Inform the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) and other applicable agencies/organisations relevant to the region and type of occurrence (such as MRCC, etc.)
  • As soon as the situation allows., a first information report should be transmitted to the DGComm Centre

All CSOs, vessels and masters must consider the heightened security risks. In addition to the daily online reporting, practices and precautionary measures specified in the DGS Circulars No.25 & 27 of 2023 and SOPs/advisories/best management practices should be adhered to.

For further details, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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