MMD Visakhapatnam functions under the administrative control of the Principal Officer, MMD Chennai, delivering the full spectrum of maritime regulatory services to the shipping community along the Andhra Pradesh coastline. The office operates from a state-of-the-art facility inaugurated on 14 July 2025 by the Hon'ble Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, equipped with modern examination halls, auditoriums, and administrative blocks.

The office performs statutory surveys and certification of vessels (including sailing and fishing vessels), petroleum licence inspections, ISM/ISPS/MLC audits, Port State Control and Flag State inspections, registration of ships and related matters (mortgaging, ITC, GTL, CSR, change of command), Engineering STCW examinations and certification, and exercises delegated powers for issuance of Minimum Safe Manning Documents and Tonnage Certificates by the Registrar of Ships, Visakhapatnam (vide letter no. SR(22)/16A/SMD/Vol.8/7550, dated 03.03.2026). The office also serves as the Registrar of Indian Ships and Fishing Boats for the Visakhapatnam Port Authority.

MMD Tuticorin functions under the administrative control of the Principal Officer, MMD Chennai, serving the maritime community at one of India's important southern ports. Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) is a major gateway for trade with Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, and the Persian Gulf, handling significant volumes of containerised and bulk cargo.

The office conducts all statutory surveys and certification of vessels (including sailing and fishing vessels), petroleum licence inspections, FSI and PSC inspections for the Tuticorin port area, towing inspections, and all ISM/ISPS/MLC audits. The Surveyor In-Charge at Tuticorin also functions as the Field Authority in-charge of the Chennai jurisdiction for PSC (IMO MOU) and FSI (DGS report forwarding), and processes PSC and FSI inspection data for the entire Chennai Maritime District. The office assists the Dy. Chief Surveyor at MMD Chennai in Engineering STCW Examinations and Certification as required.

The Government Shipping Office (GSO), established under Section 11 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, is responsible for monitoring the engagement and discharge of seafarers, treatment and welfare of distressed seamen, settlement of disputes between seafarers and their employers, issuance of Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC), registration of indenture of cadets engaged by shipping companies, issuance of inward/outward clearance to ships calling at the Port of Chennai, and conduct of enquiries into deaths onboard ships.

The Seamen's Employment Office (SEO), established under Section 12 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, regulates the employment of seamen. Since 1992, the Retainer Scheme has replaced the earlier Rotational Employment Scheme for Indian seamen. The SEO handles matters relating to Recruitment and Placement Service Licence (RPSL) companies, records sign-on/sign-off details of seafarers in the e-governance system, issuance of Biometric Seafarer Identity Documents (BSID), and implementation of the Seafarer Identity Document (SID) programme. The office also oversees compliance with the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) requirements for seafarer recruitment and placement.

The Seamen's Welfare Office (SWO), Chennai was established under Section 13 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2025 to promote the welfare of Indian seafarers both at home and abroad. The office undertakes liaison between Indian seamen and the officials of the countries they visit, renders all possible assistance to seamen in cases of distress (including medical emergencies, repatriation, and legal difficulties abroad), and provides recreational facilities for seafarers at the port.

The SWO coordinates with foreign port authorities, Indian Missions abroad, and the Directorate General of Shipping on matters concerning the welfare, safety, and rights of Indian seafarers operating on international shipping routes. Unlike Mumbai and Kolkata (where the SWO functions are handled by the respective Principal Officers), Chennai has a dedicated Seamen's Welfare Office as a separate establishment, currently under the charge of the Dy. Director, SEO as per DGS Office Order No. 20 of 2026.

The Regional Office (Sails), Tuticorin is responsible for the regulation and oversight of the traditional sailing vessel sector in the southern maritime region. The office administers trade standardisation measures for sailing vessels, handles registration of sailing vessels under the Merchant Shipping Act, issues and renews identity cards for crew members of sailing vessels, and manages crew repatriation in cases of casualties or distress abroad.

The sailing vessel sector remains significant along the southern coast, particularly for trade with Sri Lanka, the Maldives, and other Indian Ocean destinations. The Regional Officer (Sails) ensures compliance with safety standards, manning requirements, and documentation norms applicable to this class of vessels, which operate under a distinct regulatory framework from mechanically propelled merchant ships.