The initiative comes in the backdrop of attacks on commercial vessels in West Asia and Black Sea
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The government will launch a digital dashboard for tracking seafarers on August 15, Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Secretary Vijay Kumar said at an event on Saturday.The initiative comes in the backdrop of attacks on commercial vessels in West Asia and Black Sea. Kumar said safety and security of Indian seafarers is a top priority for the government. Close co-ordination between various government agencies has enabled safe passage from Strait of Hormuz for over 60 India-bound ships. Over 4,000 seafarers working on vessels in West Asia have returned home.“Now our goal is to track every Indian seafarer globally irrespective of whether he is sailing on an Indian or a foreign flagged vessel,” Kumar said.The beta version of the tracking dashboard will be released on August 15. This will enable constant monitoring, co-ordinated action and an effective response to support seafarers in an event of crisis.On Saturday, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated a digital maritime transformation platform called E-Samudra.The platform integrates services concerning seafarers, shipping companies, ports and other maritime service providers. The launch comes as India seeks more investments and aims to increase own merchant fleet.“E-Samudra is not merely a technology platform; it is a significant step towards making maritime governance simpler, more transparent and more stake holder centric,” Sonowal said.Highlighting India’s growing maritime capabilities, the Minister said India has emerged as the second largest supplier of seafarers globally and expressed hope India would soon become the largest supplier.Published on August 8, 2026
