The Government of India has taken a world-leading step by being the first country in the globe to launch a Biometric Seafarer Identity Document (BSID). The Ministry of Shipping has initiated this initiative that captures the facial biometric data of seafarers, providing foolproof identification. This development confirms India’s commitment to Convention No. 185 regarding BSID of the International Labour Organisation, ratified by India in October 2015.
Rationale Behind the Development of BSID
The proposition and development of BSID has gained significant momentum in light of the spike in maritime activities. The aim of BSID is to simplify the process for seafarers in terms of movement, job acquisition, and identification from any global location. The shipping sector is undergoing major enhancements, with significant developments seen in coastal shipping, inland waterways, and other maritime domains. These improvements are predicted to boost the presence of Indian seafarers in the international shipping industry.
Statistics Demonstrating the Growth of Indian Seafarers
The growth of Indian seafarers in the marine industry can be clearly seen with an impressive increase of 35% employment on Indian or foreign flag vessels from 2017 to 2019.
| Year | No of Indian Seafarers Employed |
|---|---|
| 2017 | X |
| 2018 | X*1.35 |
| 2019 | X*1.70 |
Characteristics of the Biometric Seafarer Identity Document
The BSID will contain an embedded biometric chip. Two optical security features have been incorporated in the card, including micro prints/microtexts and a unique Guilloche pattern. The government has developed a specific software for capturing the facial biometric data and ensuring its authentication through the public key infrastructure.
Maintaining the Record and International Accessibility
The Indian Government will maintain a record of each Seafarer Identity Document (SID) in a national database. Furthermore, the related information will be internationally accessible, ensuring seamless identification of seafarers across borders.
Conforming to Convention No. 185 of the International Labour Organisation
The introduction of BSID aligns with the tenets of Convention No. 185 of the International Labour Organisation. The convention promotes security against potential threats of international terrorism, modern security features of the BSID, maintenance of records of each issued BSID in a national database, and international accessibility of related information. Implicit within this convention is an emphasis on the reliability of the identification of the holder of the BSID, while respecting the holder’s dignity and privacy.
Source: PIB