KOCHI: A new merchant shipping Bill will be introduced in the next session of the Parliament to cater to the needs of all stakeholders, said Deepak Shetty, Ministry of Shipping secretary and Director General Shipping.
Deepak Shetty was delivering the inaugural address at a function organised to launch maritime research programme at Kunjali Marakkar School of Marine Engineering under the Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) here on Friday. Kunjali Marakkar School of Marine Engineering is the first institution in the country to offer research programme in environmental protection.
He said the Directorate General of Shipping would be fully digitalised soon, and exhorted researchers to give priority to curbing atmospheric/ocean pollution caused by merchant ships.
“The research agenda should be in accordance with the strict regulations stipulated by the MARPOL convention of international maritime organisations,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Cusat Vice-chancellor J Letha stressed the need for application oriented research in science.
Cusat Pro-vice-chancellor K Paulose Jacob delivered the keynote address.
Institute of Marine Engineers (India) general secretary Uday Purohit; Institute of Marine Engineers Cochin chairman N M C Nair; Cusat registrar David Peter; and KM School of Marine Engineering director K A Simon also spoke.