Overview – DG Shipping Medical Standards
The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), Government of India, mandates specific medical assessments for seafarers under the Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Rules, 2000. The examination ensures the seafarer is physically and mentally fit to perform their duties safely at sea.
All tests are conducted by a DG Shipping approved medical examiner. At Velys Hospital, Ahmedabad (Reg. No. GUJ/AHM/02/2026), all required investigations are available in-house.
Clinical Examination
- General physical examination — height, weight, BMI
- Cardiovascular system — heart rate, blood pressure, heart sounds
- Respiratory system — chest expansion, breath sounds
- Neurological assessment — reflexes, coordination
- Musculoskeletal assessment — joint range of motion, limb function
- Ear, nose, and throat examination
- Abdominal examination
- Mental health and psychiatric fitness assessment
Vision Tests
- Distance visual acuity — Snellen chart, unaided and aided
- Near vision — Jaeger chart or equivalent
- Colour vision — Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates (required for deck officers)
Hearing Test
- Conversational hearing test — whisper test or pure tone audiometry
- Assessment of hearing aid use where applicable
Laboratory Investigations (Blood Tests)
- Complete Blood Count (CBC) — haemoglobin, WBC, platelet count
- Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) or Random Blood Sugar
- Liver Function Tests (LFT) — SGPT, SGOT, bilirubin, albumin
- Kidney Function Tests (KFT) — serum creatinine, blood urea, uric acid
- HbA1c — for diabetic or pre-diabetic seafarers
- Additional tests at the examiner's discretion
Radiology and Cardiac
- Chest X-ray (PA view) — to assess cardiothoracic ratio, lung fields, mediastinum
- 12-lead ECG — required for seafarers aged 40 years and above, or at examiner's discretion
Urine Examination
- Urine routine and microscopy — protein, sugar, cells, casts
- Urine culture if indicated
Where to Get the DG Shipping Medical Examination
All DG Shipping required investigations are available in-house at Velys Multispeciality Hospital, FF 6, Aastha Bunglows, Nr. Sola Overbridge, Science City Road, Sola, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 380060.
Call +91 99789 55247 or email info@velyshospital.com. Open Monday to Sunday, 9 AM to 6 PM.