Indian Register of Shipping (IRS), through its professional training and development arm IRClass Academy, has further strengthened its engagement in maritime capability development in the Asia-Pacific region through the successful completion of the International Maritime Professional Development Programme (IMPDP 2026) at Politeknik Ilmu Pelayaran (PIP) Makassar, Indonesia.
The six-day executive-level programme brought together senior maritime professionals, maritime academy leaders, regulators, lecturers and practising ship superintendents from Indonesia and the region. It was conducted in collaboration with PIP Makassar, IRClass Academy and May Maritime Services Sdn Bhd, Malaysia.
With its 105-year legacy in maritime education and training, PIP Makassar provided the academic and institutional platform, while IRClass Academy brought the international maritime expertise and practical industry perspective of IRS to the programme.
IMPDP 2026 focused on the critical role of shore-based professionals in translating regulatory requirements into effective shipboard practices. Moving beyond conventional STCW certification, the programme addressed ISM, ISPS and MLC 2006 requirements alongside safety auditing, human factors, cybersecurity, root cause analysis, risk management and commercial ship superintendency.
The emphasis was on moving compliance beyond documentation and towards practical risk controls. Participants examined regulatory requirements alongside real-world operations, helping bridge the gap between what is taught, regulated and implemented aboard ships.
The programme also addressed the growing demands placed on ship operators by Port State Control inspections, oil major vetting and increasingly complex technical, digital and human-factor risks.
“IMPDP 2026 reflects IRS's commitment to developing maritime capability alongside its core role in safety,” said Amit Bhatnagar, Head, IRClass Academy. “Bringing academia, regulators and industry practitioners together creates an environment where international maritime requirements can be examined in the context of actual ship operations. We are grateful to PIP Makassar for its leadership, hospitality and providing an excellent platform.”