Shipping Corporation of India Maritime Training Institute Mumbai, 17 November 2008. Building Competence for Modern Day Ships. This well attended, highly participative one-day conference filled the theatre of the Maritime Training Institute and was characterized, as so often in India, by many questions and comments from the audience. After the welcome by Capt Kersi Deboo of the Anglo-Eastern Maritime Training Centre on behalf of the India Chapter of GlobalMET, the invocation and lighting of the lamp, the opening by Rod Short, ExecSec of GlobalMET, the Keynote Address was given by Mr S Hajara, Managing Director of the Shipping Corporation of India. Session 1, chaired by Mr Ajoy Chatterjee, Chief Surveyor to the Government of India, featured three overseas speakers: - Robert North, Rear Admiral (Rtd), President, North Star Maritime Inc, who addressed ‘MARPOL violations and their implications’ - George Chalos, Chalos & Co, Attorney at Law, New York, who addressed ‘Legal issues faced by ships visiting the USA’ - Oivind Braten, Head, Maritime Management Systems, DNV, Oslo who addressed ‘Human factors’. Session 2, chaired by Capt Naphade, former Nautical Adviser to the Government of India, featured another two overseas speakers: - Capt Micheal Blair, USCG, Chief, Operating and Environmental Standards, who addressed ‘STCW revisions and their implications for training institutions’ - Capt Pradeep Chawla, Director, Quality Assurance & Training, Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, Hong Kong, who addressed ‘How can training centres help in implementation of the ISM Code’. Session 3, chaired by Capt H Subramaniam, former Principal, LBS … featured one overseas and one local speaker: - Capt Dr Phil Anderson, Managing Director, ConsultISM Ltd, United Kingdom, who addressed, ‘How to make the ISM Code work’ - Capt Ratnakar Desai, Certified SIRE Inspector, who addressed ‘SIRE revisions’ In summing up, on behalf of GlobalMET, Rod Short expressed heartfelt thanks to the sponsors, particularly principal sponsors MASSA and Pentagon Marine Services, as well as to the Maritime Training Institute for the excellent hosting of the conference and to the members of the India Chapter of GlobalMET for their strong support.