Industry veteran Capt. KP Jayakumar received a warm farewell, honor, and felicitation for his long innings in the marine industry at his superannuation function organized jointly by FOSMA & MASSA, at the MCA Club in Mumbai on 4^th August 2022.

It was indeed a gathering of several industry luminaries and his fellow veterans who got together to bring to light some of his lesser known achievements as well as some interesting minutiae about him, and how he tackled various challenges in his tenure of over four decades in the maritime industry.

Outgoing Nautical Advisor to the Government of India, Captain KP Jayakumar is a graduate in science and has a post-graduate degree in maritime studies. He has contributed to bringing about the regulatory framework connected with dangerous maritime cargos. Having been instrumental in the formulation of revised standards of seafarer training, he paid great attention to the future challenges of the maritime sector.

Pondering the trend of ultra-large vessels, Capt Jayakumar worked on transforming the ship-to-port concept to port-moving-to-ship, where port services were provided at the location of the ship itself. He also worked to explore alternative fuels such as hydrogen and solar energy.

The formal function began with Captain SM Halbe, CEO of MASSA, inviting Mrs. Nisha Jayakumar for felicitation by Mrs. Punam Bhasin. Following this, Capt Jayakumar was felicitated by the FOSMA & MASSA chiefs, and by representatives of CMMI and the IME(I)

Highlighting Capt. Jayakumar’s contribution to the industry on the occasion, Captain Mukesh Sharan, said, “We are very grateful to the contributions made by Capt. Jayakumar by being always helpful to the industry in understanding the operational difficulties faced by the Seafarers.

“Particularly during the time of the Covid 19 pandemic, he made the off-port limits operations of ships possible, which were absolutely essential for the seafarers and the shipping industry. It is commendable how the implementation of safety measures at the various ports and customs were taken care of along with managing the port authorities and immigration staff, all carried out without delays under his able supervision.”

Captain Bhasin, showcasing Capt Jayakumar’s significant contributions said, “Capt Jayakumar took great initiative in establishing and mentoring of the Goa chapter. He was the first Indian representative to be elected as the Vice Chairman of the Executive committee for The International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) for two terms 2017-2018 & 2018-2019. He made provisions for the fund convention to ensure that appropriate compensation is paid to any and all victims of oil pollution.

“He also revamped and reintroduced the ‘Extra Master’ competency course in India. Many Master Mariners have been taking part in it, attaining great knowledge, which has created a big boom of education in the Indian marine industry.

“Capt Jayakumar was also instrumental in bringing forth the rules for ‘Pleasure craft’ which is really picking up in the maritime industry now.”

Bhasin concluded: “Although he is retiring, we will still be reaching out to him for his guidance and support, he being an absolute pillar of this industry.”

Capt. SS Naphade, Extra master (U.K) Advisor, Marman Engineering & Ship Building Pvt. Ltd. said, “Capt. Jayakumar’s contribution to the change of crew outside the port limits was commendable. It is indeed a tough task to deal simultaneously with the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Shipping, and DG Shipping, and still achieve the intended target.”

In an aside, Capt Naphade said, “The time has come now for the nautical discipline and marine fraternity to do a self-audit. The kind of manpower generation schemes that we have in force, we need to have a good re-audit of everything. We need to ponder upon questions like – Are we grooming the right people and good seafarers? And, what is happening to the nautical discipline?  It’s my appeal to FOSMA & MASSA to address these challenges and face them head-on.”

Mr. Deepak Shetty IRS, Adviser (India) to MACN, said, “In my association of 11 years with Capt Jayakumar, what I remember is that the proficiency of technical expertise that he brings to the table is truly remarkable. He brings with him the blend of head & heart, which is a rare combination in public service. His leadership has been very inclusive in approach.

“I also recall his decision-making abilities and how he brought out beneficial schemes in adverse circumstances, which is a true testimony to the legacy that he leaves behind.”

Capt Y. Sharma, said, “I remember Capt. Jayakumar as a person of compassion and integrity who was always willing to give credit to his team, rather than taking it, which is among some of the excellent qualities that he possesses.”

In his speech Jayakumar highlighted his key learnings: “At the outset, I would like to thank FOSMA & MASSA and all the organizations for honoring me with this felicitation and all the speakers for the kind words spoken. The month of August is special to me, since I commenced my journey in the shipping industry, 40 years ago this month. It has been an interesting journey, as I had the privilege to work both in the private and government sectors.

“In the private sector, I learned the necessity to keep the ship moving at all times. While many times it became necessary to circumvent some of the provisions of the legal instruments to keep the ships operational, this may have caused a lot of difficulty for my colleagues.

“Working in Maritime Government Administration meanwhile helps you to realize that in governance the more things change, the more they remain the same. As a government servant, I became quite adept at ensuring that the ship of government continues to be operational despite its multifarious unique challenges.”

“For me, working in the maritime industry has been a truly enriching experience.”

 Marex Media