Quick answer: If your CDC is lost, stolen, or damaged, file a police report first, then apply for a duplicate through the DG Shipping Seafarers Portal with a signed affidavit, the police report copy, your passport, INDoS details, and photographs. A duplicate CDC application generally takes longer to process than a first-time application, so start the moment you notice it’s missing — you cannot sign on to a new ship without a valid CDC.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| First step | Police report / FIR for the loss |
| Where to apply | DG Shipping Seafarers Portal (seafarers.dgshipping.gov.in) |
| Core documents needed | Police report, affidavit, passport, INDoS details, photographs |
| Processing time | Longer than a first-time application — verify current timeline on the portal |
Losing your CDC feels like a minor disaster the moment you realise it — without it, you cannot sign on to a ship, and some payroll and benefit processes tied to your seafarer record depend on it too. The good news is that a duplicate is a well-established, routine process. Here’s how to handle it without unnecessary panic or wasted time.
Step 1: File a Police Report Immediately
Before contacting DG Shipping or your manning company, report the loss or theft to the local police. Depending on the circumstances and jurisdiction, this may be a general complaint or a formal FIR. This report is the foundational document for everything that follows — nearly every subsequent step in a duplicate CDC application will ask for it, so don’t delay this part.
If your CDC was damaged rather than lost or stolen, you don’t need a police report, but you should keep the damaged document itself (you’ll typically be asked to surrender it with your duplicate application) and be ready to explain how the damage occurred.
Step 2: Notify Your Company or Manning Agent
If you’re currently employed or between contracts with an active manning agency, inform them as soon as possible. They can often guide you through company-specific documentation requirements and, if you’re abroad, help coordinate the logistics of getting documents to and from DG Shipping.
Step 3: Prepare Your Documents
For a duplicate CDC application, you’ll generally need:
- Police report / FIR copy (for loss or theft)
- Signed affidavit explaining the circumstances of the loss or damage
- Valid passport
- INDoS number and registration details
- Recent passport-size photographs, per the portal’s specifications
- The damaged original CDC, if applicable, for surrender
- Previous CDC number, if you have any record of it (even a photocopy or a photo taken earlier helps significantly)
This last point is why keeping a scanned copy of your CDC — in your email, on cloud storage, and with a trusted family member — is worth doing the moment you first receive it. It won’t replace the original, but it significantly speeds up the duplicate process by giving officials your exact CDC number and details on file.
Step 4: Apply Through the Seafarers Portal
Duplicate CDC applications are processed through the same official channel as original applications — the DG Shipping Seafarers Portal (seafarers.dgshipping.gov.in). Log in with your existing profile, select the duplicate/reissue application type, upload your documents, and pay the applicable fee. Fee amounts and exact processing timelines are set and updated by DG Shipping directly, so confirm the current figures on the portal itself rather than relying on older information, which can go stale.
Step 5: Follow Up and Track Status
Duplicate applications generally take longer to process than first-time applications, since additional verification is involved. Track your application status through the portal, and if it stalls without explanation for an extended period, follow up directly with your regional Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) office rather than waiting indefinitely.
Preventing This From Happening Again
- Scan and save your CDC to a cloud drive and email it to yourself the day you receive it
- Keep a laminated or protected copy of the CDC number and key details in your kit bag, separate from the original
- Never leave your CDC in an unsecured location onboard — most ships have a safe or the Master’s office for exactly this purpose
- Share a copy with a trusted family member so you have a backup source if your own copies are ever inaccessible
While You Wait for the Duplicate
A gap between losing your CDC and receiving the duplicate is genuinely disruptive — you may not be able to accept a new joining offer during that window, and some payroll or benefit processes tied to your seafarer record can be affected too. Be upfront with your manning agent about the situation rather than trying to hide it or delay telling them; agents who work with seafarers regularly have generally seen this before and can advise on realistic timelines for your specific case, including whether any interim arrangement is possible while your duplicate is being processed.
A lost or damaged CDC is stressful but recoverable — the process exists precisely because it happens to seafarers regularly. Acting immediately, rather than hoping it turns up, is what keeps the disruption to your sailing schedule as short as possible.
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