Issuing Authority

Continuous Discharge Certificate are issued by the Shipping Master, Government Shipping Offices located at Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Government Shipping Office is an allied office of Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India. Government Shipping Offices are headed by Shipping Master who functions under direct administrative control of Jurisdictional Principal Officer, Mercantile Marine Department.

Eligibility for CDC

Continuous Discharge Certificate are issued in accordance in terms of provisions under Merchant Shipping (Continuous Discharge Certificate) Rules, 2017 and other relevant DGS Orders, Circulars, MS Notices issued by Directorate General of Shipping from time to time. Basic eligibility criteria for obtaining CDC is mentioned vide Rule 4 of Merchant Shipping (Continuous Discharge Certificate) Rules, 2017 which states following:

Business of Seamen’s Employment Office is mentioned at Section 95 of Merchant Shipping Act, 1958:

• Issuance and Renewal of Recruitment and Placement Service license as per provisions of Merchant Shipping (Recruitment and Placement of Seafarer) Rules, 2016.
• Maintain record of licenses issued and assign a distinct license numbers and display the details of licenses on the website of the Directorate General of Shipping.
• Maintain the details of complaints received from seafarers concerning working or living conditions on board a ship.
• Refer, wherever required, the complaints concerning the activities of the recruitment and placement services and the complaints received from recruitment and placement services against errant seafarers to the advisory board.
• Maintain details of information received in case of death or disability of seafarers.
• Invoke and utilize submitted Bank Guarantee for repatriation of seafarers abandoned or stranded in foreign countries, if RPS agency fails to undertake repatriation.
• The Director may on receipt of a complaint from any seafarer or next of kin, conduct a detailed enquiry on it. The Director, if deemed necessary, order for special inspection for the specific purpose by the inspecting authority or any person authorised by the Director-General.
• Issuance of authorization to entities for placement of repair-technicians (non-seafarers) onboard foreign flag ships in accordance with provisions of Merchant Shipping Notice No. 02 of 2018 dated 16.01.2018.

Fee

The fee for obtaining the Continuous Discharge Certificate or its reissue or renewal or its replacement / duplicate is INR Seven Hundred Rupees, which shall be non-refundable, payable via online mode.

Validity

As per Rule 8 of M.S. (CDC) Rules, 2017 CDC is valid for a period of ten years and may be renewed on expiry or within one year prior to date of expiry.

Requirement for Replacement / Duplicate / Renewal Continuous Discharge Certificate

• Replacement : Where a Continuous Discharge Certificate of a person is mislaid, destroyed, defaced or mutilated or the pages of the Continuous Discharge Certificate are exhausted, such person shall apply online for Replacement CDC Booklet.
• Duplicate : Where a Continuous Discharge Certificate of a person is lost and where a proper complaint has been made by him with the Police, such person may apply along with a copy of the First Information Report (FIR) for Duplicate CDC.
• Renewal : If any person wish to extend validity of their CDC, they may apply online for Renewal of CDC.

Cancellation of Continuous Discharge Certificate

• CDC of any person may be cancelled, suspended or withdrawn in terms of provision under Rule 9 of M.S. (CDC) Rules, 2017, if the person is found to be in violation of extant rules.
• In terms of sub-rule 12 of Rule 9 of M.S. (CDC) Rules, 2017, if a Continuous Discharge Certificate holder wishes to discontinue the sea service, may request for cancellation of CDC to the concern Government Shipping Office who has issued the CDC Number.