HCS Shipboard Training Programme
Master Mariner — Foreign Going
Ship Registration & Flag Administration Expert
Classification · Statutory Compliance · Marine Consultancy

Professional Profile

Cpt Rajeev Kumar Yadav is a Master Mariner, ship registration expert and marine consultant with experience across ship command, flag administration, classification coordination, statutory compliance and maritime project management.

His maritime career began in 1997, progressing from seagoing appointments to senior operational, technical and representative roles. His professional background combines practical shipboard knowledge with experience supporting owners through vessel acquisition, registration, changes of flag, survey preparation, certification coordination and entry into service.

His work connects the requirements of maritime administrations and classification societies with the technical condition, documentation and operational readiness of vessels. This perspective informs his contribution to maritime training, particularly in subjects where regulatory requirements must be translated into practical action onboard and ashore.

Ship Registration & Flag State Administration

Cpt Yadav specialises in international ship registration, flag transfers and coordination with Flag State administrations, supporting owners through registration formalities and the associated technical and statutory requirements.

His professional experience includes service as Flag Administrator with the International Maritime Safety Agency of Guyana (IMSAG), representing Guyana’s flag services in international markets. His documented achievements include the registration of approximately 50 vessels of different types and sizes under the Guyana flag.

His appointments also include Deputy Registrar for the Barbados Flag Administration, with responsibilities relating to international merchant-vessel registration.

His experience extends to the coordination of registration and flag changes during vessel acquisition and delivery. For a Ro-Pax ferry purchased in Greece, he handled the transition from the Greek flag to Belize for the delivery voyage, followed by registration under the Indian flag after arrival in India.

These assignments required coordination between owners, maritime administrations, classification representatives and technical personnel, bringing together registration documentation, survey requirements, statutory certification and delivery arrangements.

Classification, Statutory Surveys & Class Rules

Cpt Yadav’s classification-related experience includes preparing vessels for class and Flag State inspections, coordinating certification requirements, supporting changes of class and working with technical teams during vessel acquisition, conversion, dry docking and delivery.

His assignments have involved coordination with the Indian Register of Shipping, collaboration with naval architects on statutory plans, attendance during inspections and sea trials, and technical preparation following vessel modifications and structural strengthening.

His involvement in Ro-Pax ferry and aluminium-vessel projects has provided practical experience of how classification requirements interact with design, construction, vessel condition and operational arrangements.

Within Hellenic Classification Society, his role as Regional Branch Representative and Technical Surveyor in Navi Mumbai, India, includes vessel inspections, statutory survey support, safety verification, deficiency documentation and technical reporting. He coordinates with owners, managers, service providers and maritime authorities within his assigned scope, supporting HCS Head Office technical review and approval.

This work provides a practical foundation for explaining how classification rules, statutory requirements and Flag State instructions apply to vessel operations, survey preparation and the maintenance of appropriate technical records.

Recognized Organizations, RO Code & Technical Quality

Cpt Yadav’s combination of flag-administration experience and classification-related work provides a practical basis for his contribution to HCS training on the IMO Code for Recognized Organizations — RO Code.

Relevant subjects include the responsibilities of Flag States and their authorized Recognized Organizations, the scope of delegated survey and certification functions, and the importance of technical competence, impartiality, documented procedures and quality controls.

His contribution connects these principles with the practical work of maritime personnel: understanding survey scope, preparing supporting evidence, recording deficiencies, coordinating corrective action and submitting clear technical reports for review.

Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the relationship between:

• Classification rules and the technical requirements applied by the relevant classification society.
• Statutory requirements arising from applicable international instruments and Flag State legislation.
• RO authorization and the functions entrusted to an organization by a Flag State.
• Survey evidence, technical review and quality procedures supporting reliable certification processes.

This approach helps learners understand how decisions are documented, responsibilities are assigned and technical matters are referred to the appropriate authority.

Ship Command, Safety Management & Operational Leadership

Cpt Yadav’s early seagoing career included service with GeePee Shipping and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, progressing through cadet, Third Mate and Second Mate appointments. His vessel experience includes dry cargo liners, Handysize, Handymax and Panamax bulk carriers, car carriers and training vessels.

From 2011 to 2019, his career included management-level and Master appointments with Wallem Ship Management. His responsibilities covered navigation, security, cargo operations, inspection readiness, ISM and ISPS implementation, crisis management, insurance and P&I matters, and communication with owners, managers, charterers and terminals.

His command experience also encompassed crew welfare, shipboard administration, maintenance coordination and the implementation of safe working practices.

As Port Captain with Esquire Shipping & Trading Pvt Ltd, he extended this experience to jetty operations, cargo handling, barge movements and coordination with customs, the Maharashtra Maritime Board and other shore authorities.

Ro-Pax Operations & Technical Project Management

As Ro-Pax Ferry Operations Incharge and Owner’s Representative with M2M Ferries, Cpt Yadav contributed to the establishment of the Mandwa–Mumbai ferry service.

His involvement covered vessel acquisition in Greece, pre-purchase and dry-dock inspections, structural strengthening, sea trials, statutory documentation and preparation for the delivery passage.

He took command for the maiden voyage from Greece to India, including preparations for the Suez Canal transit, and served as DPA and Deputy CSO for the delivery voyage. He also trained crew in the vessel’s handling characteristics and operational requirements.

Following delivery, his responsibilities included ferry and terminal operations, safe operating procedures, ISM implementation and planned maintenance arrangements.

His subsequent work with Nayantara Shipping included owners’ representation, vessel-certification coordination, terminal management, technical support and liaison with port and maritime authorities.

Through Vertex Marine Services, his project-management consultancy has included work associated with an aluminium high-speed Ro-Pax ferry at Goa Shipyard and owners’ representation for the construction of two 19-metre aluminium patrol boats.

His wider consultancy experience includes feasibility work for the India–Sri Lanka Ramayan Trail ferry project, involving maritime-authority discussions, local surveys and consideration of route and channel-depth requirements.

Training, Cadet Development & Professional Competence

Cpt Yadav’s training experience includes service as second in command of the training vessel Spirit of MOL, supporting a multinational training environment involving 120 cadets and 40 instructors.

This experience developed his practical understanding of cadet supervision, shipboard organisation, teamwork and communication across nationalities. His later command and ferry-project responsibilities included crew familiarisation, vessel-handling instruction and the implementation of safe operating procedures.

His approach to training connects technical knowledge with the responsibilities of maritime personnel, using operational experience to explain inspection preparation, safety management, regulatory coordination and the importance of accurate documentation.

Qualifications & Languages

• Master Mariner — Foreign Going, 2010, with Master’s oral examination completed at South Shields, United Kingdom.
• Higher National Diploma in Nautical Science, Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, Scotland, 2009–2010.
• Second Mate — Foreign Going, National Institute of Port Management, Chennai, 2000–2001.
• Pre-Sea Training, Bombay Institute of Advance Maritime Studies, Mumbai, 1997.
• Languages: English, Hindi and Marathi.

Contribution to the HCS Training Programme

As Director of Studies for India, Cpt Rajeev Kumar Yadav brings together ship command, flag-registration expertise, classification coordination and practical training experience.

His contribution strengthens the programme’s focus on class rules, statutory compliance, RO responsibilities, survey preparation, safety management and professional judgment, helping seafarers and shore teams understand both the requirements that apply to their work and the practical steps needed to fulfil them.