The Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on Thursday inaugurated the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) office in Patna and a Seafarers' Outreach Centre, while simultaneously launching redevelopment works at Nabik Griha Samity and the Marine Club — marking a significant expansion of India's maritime services infrastructure into the heartland.

Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur attended the event as Chief Guest, accompanied by Ministry Secretary Vijay Kumar and Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan. Addressing the gathering, Thakur underlined that strengthening maritime institutions and protecting seafarer welfare were central to India's Viksit Bharat vision. "As India expands its global maritime footprint, ensuring dignity, safety and opportunity for Indian seafarers remains a top priority," he said.

Officials highlighted that the new MMD Patna office and the Outreach Centre will substantially improve access to certification services, documentation support, grievance redressal, and welfare assistance — particularly for the large number of seafarers from Bihar and the surrounding states who previously had to travel significant distances for such services.

The inaugurations were followed by a day-long symposium on Seafarers' Recruitment and Welfare, attended by approximately 200 participants — including serving seafarers, cadets, shipowners' associations, ship managers, RPSL companies, maritime unions, training institutes, and government representatives.

The symposium was structured around two focused sessions. The first, titled "Seafarer Casualties: Rights, Relief and Responsibility," examined compensation frameworks, insurance obligations, and financial support mechanisms for families dealing with deaths, missing crew members, or serious injuries at sea. The second session, "Seafarers' Abandonment and Welfare," deliberated on wage protection, financial security compliance, repatriation procedures, and institutional response systems — addressing long-standing vulnerabilities in the maritime sector.

Discussions across both sessions also covered recruitment transparency, grievance mechanisms, and accountability measures, fostering dialogue among regulators, industry bodies, unions, and welfare organisations.