The DGMA approved Life Raft Service Stations names every service station cleared to test and service inflatable life rafts, rescue boats, life jackets, and immersion suits for ships registered in India. DGMA grants this approval, and each station’s certificate carries a fixed validity period, so a ship manager checks this list before booking any life-saving appliance servicing.
If you have ever had a Port State Control officer ask to see a life raft’s servicing certificate and question which station issued it, you already understand the stakes here. Life-saving appliances only work as designed if a properly approved station has actually checked them on schedule. This guide shares the current register and walks through what the approval actually means for a ship owner or manager booking that service.
Why Do Ships Need a DGMA Approved LSA Service Station?
SOLAS Chapter III and IMO Assembly Resolution A.761(18) require that inflatable life-saving appliances get serviced by an approved facility, not just any workshop that owns the right equipment. DGMA’s Nautical Wing runs this approval scheme for India, and only a DGMA approved station can legally service these appliances for Indian-flag ships and for foreign ships while they are in Indian waters.
Inflatable liferafts, inflatable rescue boats, inflatable lifejackets, and marine evacuation systems need servicing at intervals of no more than 12 months, and hydrostatic release units need annual servicing too. Miss that window at an approved station and the ship is sailing with equipment that no longer carries a valid service certificate, which becomes a real problem the moment an inspector asks to see one.
Engineers preparing for their MEO Class IV certificate study this exact equipment category. The MEO Class IV syllabus covers lifeboats, life rafts, and rescue boats as core life-saving appliance knowledge, which lines up with how seriously DGMA treats the shore-side servicing of the same equipment.
How Does a Service Station Get DGMA Approval?
- The workshop applies to DGMA with proof of premises, test equipment, and a quality management system suited to servicing inflatable LSAs.
- The station names its competent persons. DGMA approves specific individuals to carry out the servicing, not just the company as a whole.
- DGMA or its delegated surveyor conducts an initial verification audit of the station’s facilities and procedures.
- An approval certificate is issued under a Approval No such as LSA/09/2025, with a fixed date of issue and validity period.
- Intermediate and renewal audits follow at set intervals to confirm the station still meets the required standard.
- A station can surrender its certificate voluntarily, which is different from letting it lapse, and shows up differently on the register.
What Equipment Do These Stations Service?
- Inflatable life rafts: the core service almost every station on this list is approved for.
- Inflatable rescue boats: a narrower approval that not every station carries.
- Immersion suits and life jackets: often bundled with life raft servicing at the larger stations.
- Hydrostatic release units (HRUs): these release a life raft automatically if a ship sinks, and need their own annual check.
- Load testing of lifeboats and davits: a small number of stations, such as Arcship Management & Chartering, extend into this heavier launching-appliance work.
One detail worth knowing: a station’s OEM list names the specific liferaft and equipment manufacturers it is approved to service, brand by brand. A station approved for Shanghai Youlong rafts is not automatically approved for a Viking or RFD raft. Viking Life Saving Equipment’s own Navi Mumbai station is explicit about this, noting in its remark that it services only its own brand and refers other manufacturers’ rafts elsewhere.
What Is the Complete DGMA Approved Life Raft Service Stations List?
| Sr. No. | Company | Scope | Certificate Type | Certificate No | Issued on | Valid Upto | Status |
| 1 | Western Marine and Engineering Services Private Limited Address: Silver Spring, Unit No. 39, Ground Floor, ‘B’ Block, Taloja Industrial Area, Taloja MIDC, Navi Mumbai – 410 208, India. westernmarinem@gmail.com 9833988527 | Servicing/Testing of Lifeboats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear | Renewal | ENG/DGS/SSS/23/04 | 05.12.2023 | 26.09.2026 | Approved |
| 2 | NCGB Engineering Co. Private Limited Address: 5-B/20, Plot No. 12, Aruna Nagar Layout, Chelseeni Colony, Tuticorin – 628 008. lifeboat@ncgb.net 9432296256 | Servicing/Testing of Lifeboat, Davits, Rescueboats, Launching appliances and On-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Initial | ENG/DGS/SSS/24/03 | 29.01.2024 | 20.01.2027 | Approved |
| 3 | MM Cargo Gear & Marine Services Private Limited Address: Plot No. 114, GIDC, Sector – 10, Gandhidham, Gujarat – 370 201, India. mmcargo10@hotmail.com 9687618783, 9099189696 | Servicing/Testing of lifeboats davits, Rescueboat davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Renewal | ENG/DGS/SSS/24/04 | 22.04.2024 | 15.04.2027 | Approved |
| 4 | Marinetech Safety and Shipping Corporation Address: Zero Point, Char Rasta, Patidar Nagar, Mundra – 370 421, Kutch Gujarat, India. Harsh.Bamnolia@marinetechss.com pratik.hirapara@marinetechss.com 8451840736 | Servicing/Testing of Lifeboats davits, Rescueboat davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Renewal | ENG/DGS/SSS/24/05 | 11.06.2024 | 19.03.2027 | Approved |
| 5 | A. S. Moloobhoy Private Limited Address 1: Plot No. D-335, TTC Industrial Area, Near IBIS Hotel, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai – 400 705. Address 2: Plot No. D-77/3, TTC Industrial Area, MIDC, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai – 400 705. lsa@asmoloobhoy.com liferafts@asmoloobhoy.com 8655894744 | Servicing/Testing of life Boats, rescue boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Amended (Addition in address) | ENG/DGS/SSS/25/02 | 26.06.2025 | 04.01.2027 | Approved |
| 6 | Bhawani Engineering Works Address: Unit No. 1, 2, 3, Block No.1, Rajshree Industrial Complex, P. O., Apana Bazaar, Chitalsar, Manpada, Thane (West) – 400 610, Maharashtra, India. bhawaniengg@yahoo.com 9819848598 | Service Station for Rescue Boats, Davits – Servicing, Testing & Repairs | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/25/03 | 14.08.2025 | 11.07.2028 | Approved |
| 7 | Vadyar Boats Private Limited Address: 50 NP, Industrial Estate, Ekkaduthangal, Chennai – 600 032, India. vadyarboats@gmail.com 9940025848 | Servicing/Testing of Life Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/25/04 | 29.09.2025 | 09.10.2026 | Approved |
| 8 | Global Marine Safety India Private Limited Address: 20, Andal Nagar, Manali New Town, Ponneri High Road, Chennai – 600 103. gmsindiapvtltd@gmail.com 9884117155 | Servicing/Testing of Life Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/25/05 | 10.10.2025 | 28.09.2028 | Approved |
| 9 | Blue Tech Marine Services Private Limited Address: 10/702, Chandhiroor, Alappuzha, Kerala State – 688 547, India. arunpn@bluetechservices.com bhushanram@bluetechservices.com 8138904001 8590756288 | Servicing and Testing of onboard vessels/ashore of maintenance and repair of lifeboats, davits, Launching and on-load release gear | Initial | ENGG/DGS/SSS/25/06 | 04.11.2025 | 15.05.2028 | Approved |
| 10 | Quality Marine Services Private Limited Address: 4-B, Timber Market Occupants Society, Reay Road, Mumbai – 400 010. services@qualitymarine.in qualitymarineservices@yahoo.in | Servicing/Testing of life Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear on board vessels/ashore | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/26/01 | 20.02.2026 | 28.02.2029 | Approved |
| 11 | SHM Shipcare Private Limited Address: BPT Plot No. 51 B, Magazine Street, 1st Lane, Darukhana, Mazgaon, Mumbai – 400 010, Maharashtra, India. ask@shmgroup.com 9920801638 | Servicing / Testing of Lifeboats, Rescue Boats, Fast Rescue Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and release gear | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/26/02 | 17.02.2026 | 14.02.2029 | Approved |
| 12 | Marine Equipment Service Company Address: Premjyoti Market Complex, Bijayachandrapur, In front of IFFCO Main Gate, Paradip, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha – 754 120, India. services@mescindia.in 9585522386 | Servicing/Testing of Life Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear | Renewal | ENGG/DGS/SSS/26/03 | 27.03.2026 | 17.02.2029 | Approved |
| 13 | Cargo Gear Services (India) Private Limited Address: Plot No. 10, Opp. Sant Janaben Municipal Market, Godapdev Cross Road No. 1, Off. E.S. Patanwala Marg, Mumbai – 400 033, India. cgs@cargogearservices.com +91-22-23780451, 23730854 | Servicing and Testing of life Boats, Davits, Launching appliances and on-load release gear onboard vessel / ashore | Initial | ENGG/DGS/SSS/26/04 | 02.06.2026 | 16.04.2029 | Approved |
Which Cities Have the Most DGMA Approved LSA Stations?
Mumbai and Navi Mumbai carry the densest cluster, unsurprising given the port traffic through JNPT and the wider Mumbai harbor. Visakhapatnam comes next with a genuinely competitive spread of stations, which is useful if your first choice is booked out. Kochi, Kolkata, Port Blair, and the Gandhidham-Kandla belt in Gujarat each have three or more stations too.
A smaller port like Goa or Tuticorin has only one or two options, so a ship calling there on a tight turnaround has less flexibility if a station is fully booked or its intermediate audit happens to be overdue that week.
Why Does the OEM Column Matter So Much Here?
This is the detail most people skip past, and it is the one that causes the most real-world trouble. A station’s approval does not cover every life raft brand on the market. It covers specific manufacturers named on its certificate.
Look at Viking Life Saving Equipment’s Navi Mumbai entry. Their own remark states plainly that they service only their own brand of rafts. Meridian Inflatables in Mumbai runs the same model with their SURAKSHA brand, though they add that they invite IRS to inspect other-brand rafts they service, which is a more open arrangement than Viking’s. If your ship carries a raft from a manufacturer not named on a station’s OEM list, that station cannot legally service it, no matter how close it is to the port you are calling at.
What Should You Check Before Booking an LSA Service Station?
- Confirm your raft’s actual manufacturer against the station’s OEM list before booking, not after the technician arrives.
- Check the Approval No and Valid Upto date against the current DGMA register rather than an old invoice from a previous service call.
- Ask directly if a certificate shows as surrendered or expired rather than assuming the station closed down entirely, since a surrender can be voluntary and the company may still operate under a newer certificate elsewhere.
- Confirm which specific appliances (life raft, rescue boat, immersion suit, HRU) the station’s approval actually covers, since not every station handles every category.
- Where a station lists multiple locations under the same company name, double-check you have the address and certificate for the specific branch actually doing your service.
- Just as you should verify an LSA service station’s current approval before booking, seafarers should verify the approval status of a training provider before enrolling. You can also check the DGMA-approved maritime training courses listed by Indo Search when researching approved maritime training options.
What Happens if a Ship Uses a Non-Approved or Expired Station?
DGMA’s own guidance is direct on this point: ship operators and masters should only engage stations on the current approved list, and a station whose approval has expired or gone non-operational should not be booked for statutory servicing. A raft serviced outside this system does not carry a valid certificate, and that gap surfaces exactly when you cannot afford it, during a Port State Control inspection or a real emergency.
FAQs
How Can I Tell if a Certificate Was Surrendered Rather Than Expired?
Check the remark field on the station’s listing rather than relying only on the valid-upto date. Solas Marine Services in Visakhapatnam still shows a valid-upto date of 31.07.2028 on this register, but the remark reads “Certificate Surrender,” meaning the company gave up the approval voluntarily before that date arrived. A date that has not yet passed does not always mean a certificate is still active.
Can One Company Hold Approvals at Multiple Locations?
Yes, and several do. SHM Shipcare runs separate approved stations in Kochi, Navi Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Port Blair, Mangalore, Kandla, Paradip, Kolkata, Kakinada, and Chennai, each with its own Approval No and its own expiry date. A.S. Moloobhoy holds separate approvals in Kandla, Mumbai, and Kolkata under slightly different company names at each location. Treat each location’s certificate as its own independent approval rather than assuming one covers the whole group.
Do Immersion Suits Get Serviced on the Same Schedule as Life Rafts?
Not always at the same interval, though many stations bundle the two services together. A station’s approval scope, shown in the “Approved for” column, tells you whether immersion suits fall under that specific station’s certificate at all. Roughly a third of stations on this list are approved for life rafts only, with no immersion suit or rescue boat scope attached.
What Does “Certificate to Be Issued” or a Missing OEM List Actually Mean for a Booking?
A missing OEM list in the source register, as with several stations here, usually means the underlying document did not print that section clearly rather than the station having no manufacturer approvals at all. Confirm brand coverage directly with the station by phone before booking rather than assuming a blank field means no restrictions.
Is a DGMA Approved LSA Station the Same as an IRS Surveyor?
No. The service station physically tests and services the life-saving appliance and issues the servicing certificate. A classification society surveyor, commonly IRS for Indian-flag ships, conducts the broader statutory survey confirming the vessel’s overall safety equipment compliance, which relies on valid certificates from an approved station as supporting evidence.
Why Do Some Stations List Multiple Competent Persons by Name?
DGMA approves specific named individuals to carry out servicing under a station’s certificate, not just the company as a legal entity. A station with several competent persons listed usually has more capacity to handle simultaneous bookings across different vessels or ports without one person becoming a bottleneck.
Can a Foreign-Flag Ship Use a DGMA Approved LSA Station While in an Indian Port?
Yes. DGMA approved stations are permitted to service life-saving appliances on foreign ships while those ships are in Indian waters, in addition to their primary role servicing Indian-flag vessels.
Why Does the Same Station Sometimes Appear Twice With Slightly Different Details?
Government registers like this one get updated in batches, and an older entry occasionally survives alongside a newer one for the same station before the list gets cleaned up. This register had exactly that issue with one Kochi station, and the duplicate was merged here rather than listed twice with conflicting dates.
How Do I Know if a Station’s Servicing Actually Covers My Specific Raft Model?
Match your raft’s manufacturer nameplate against the station’s OEM list line by line, not just the general brand family. Several manufacturers listed here operate under more than one trading name (SamGong now trades as SG Safety Corporation, for instance), so a quick call to confirm current naming avoids a wasted trip if your raft turns out to be a model the station cannot service.