An announcement in
this regard is expected when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in
France, travels to Marseille, on Tuesday 11 Feb ‘25 where India is opening a
consulate. Globally, fleet owners hire
crew either on their own or through a third party manning agent. Manning agents
have their own pool of seafarers which they allocate to different ship owners.
By hiring seafarers
directly from India, CMA CGM, headquartered in Marseille, is looking to create
an exclusive pool of seafarers for its own ships. “Specialised ships require a
certain level of expertise and CMA CGM may want to invest in their own
seafarers and retain them,” said a shipping industry executive overseeing
seafarer’s recruitment and training.
India is one of the top suppliers of crew to the
global shipping industry.