NEW DELHI: In order to repulse potential terrorist attacks via sea route, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Ratification of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No. 185 on the Seafarers Identity Document (SID).
A biometric-based SID will be developed and around 1.8 lakh Indian seafarers will benefit from the ratification, who may otherwise see their job opportunities facing a threat in the near future.
The proposed SID has provisions for bar coding of the biometric-based identity of seafarers and centralised data base maintained in the issuing country, which can be accessed globally through an inter-operable and standard biometric template.
The SID will ensure hassle-free movement to the Indian seafarers in foreign shores during leave, get recognition as identified seafarers in the global market and will have easy access to better job opportunities in the global maritime sector.
The SID project is proposed to be taken up in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC).And the SID is proposed to be issued from the three enrolment centres (offices of the Shipping Master at Mumbai, Kolkota and Chennai).
The issuance of the SID involves the collection of biometric and demographic details of seafarers as well as their verification followed by the issuance of the ID. The total number of Indian seafarers, who need to be issued SIDs, will be around 1.8 lakh.
Thereafter the SIDs will be issued to new seafarers. The project will be self-sustainable and will not entail any expenditure by the government.