Sumit Sitaram Bhojane
Thane
Summary
Accomplished Crewing Manager with over 18 years in marine personnel operations and crewing management. Expertise in leading multicultural teams, optimising crew operations, and ensuring compliance with maritime regulations. Skilled in stakeholder management, marine recruitment, and budget oversight. Focused on enhancing operational efficiency and driving process improvements while fostering strong client relationships and team development.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Crewing Manager
Northern Marine Ship Management
05.2017 - Current
- Lead, mentor, and develop the marine personnel team to achieve team goals. Foster a positive and collaborative working environment within the team. Conduct regular assessment and development discussions with team members, setting clear objectives and goals. In alignment with the objectives.
- Managed end-to-end seafarer journey for disciplinary and personnel matters, ensuring compliance with SMS procedures and regulatory requirements.
- Client focus – with accountability for managing client enquiries and expectations on all personnel functions.
- Drive seafarer engagement strategy in line with our business requirements.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with crewing agencies, and other stakeholders.
- Collaborate with senior management and other internal stakeholders to align crewing activities with broader business strategies.
- Managed audit requirements within the personnel team locally, including ISM, STCW, MLC, ISO, SOC, TMSA, client and other regulatory bodies.
- Implement the operational strategy set by the Head of Marine Personnel Operations regarding service delivery for the satellite offices.
- Crewing escalation – Responsible for handling High level crewing escalations from internal and external stakeholders.
- Improved Crew Database Software, enhancing scheduling and crewing capabilities to increase operational efficiency.
- Recruit and interview employees for crewing operational roles within the office in conjunction with the Senior Management.
- Drive wider succession planning activities with the onshore teams in collaboration with the Crewing team in the Head Office in the UK.
- Identify cost efficiency opportunities and drive local improvements, without compromising on safety and quality.
- Monitored local crew budgetary performance, implementing control measures to limit cost exposure.
- Communicate regulatory and policy changes to all stakeholders and report any impact on service provision.
- Offering guidance and direction to the crewing department and other internal stakeholder groups regarding the staffing of both company-owned and third-party client vessels.
- Managed day-to-day relationships with local unions.
- Understanding of marine recruitment and seafarer development.
- Indian ratings and officers, management of briefings.
- Performed additional tasks and ad hoc project work as assigned by the company.
- Performed additional tasks and ad hoc project work as assigned by the company.
Assistant Crewing Manager & Vetting Co-Ordinator
Northern Marine Ship Management
01.2016 - 05.2017
Senior Marine Personnel Officer
Northern Marine Ship Management
02.2015 - 01.2016
Marine Personnel Officer
ANGLO EASTERN SHIP MANAGEMENT PVT LTD
12.2010 - 02.2015
- Liaise with clients, technical managers, and overseas manning agents, escalating potential issues with crew change plans to senior management and relevant registers.
- Coordinated with port agents for OK-to-board letters, visas, and immigration documents, managing emergency or unplanned repatriation flights.
- Maintained direct contact with officers, ratings, and supernumeraries for vessel assignments, facilitating seamless joining and onboarding while updating CIS.
- Arrange and monitor Flag State documents, coordinate delivery of originals to vessels, and manage visas for employed seafarers.
- Enter variable earnings and deductions in the crew system, verify and initiate travel orders, and track post-joining tasks including Flag licenses and family joining expenses.
- Plan and optimize travel budgets by consolidating crew changes for cost efficiency.
- Maintain MPO-KPI data, including expiry lists, vessel schedules, safe manning checks, overdue lists, and handle medical and P&I claims.
- Organised in-house and fleet-specific trainings (ECDIS, ME, PEME), ensuring timely and cost-effective completion while linking certificates to crew profiles.
Marine Personnel Assistant
ANGLO EASTERN SHIP MANAGEMENT PVT LTD
12.2007 - 12.2010
- Verify seafarer documents and forms for accuracy and compliance.
- Apply and arrange licences for crew as per vessel flag requirements.
- Prepare all joining papers and complete documentation for personnel joining vessels.
- Verified documentation accuracy and ensured completion of required courses for all joiners, contributing to compliance and readiness.
- Supported Marine Personnel Executive, Pool Manager, and senior management in optimising crewing processes.
- Maintain direct contact with officers and ratings lined up for assigned vessels.
- Facilitated communication with vessels, agents, technical offices, consulates, and other stakeholders to ensure smooth operations.
Tele caller & Backoffice Executive
TATA TELESERVICES LTD.
08.2006 - 11.2007
- Coordinated with retention agencies and customer care for post to pre queries and backend support, enhancing service responsiveness.
- Trained and developed agency executives to perform various service activities, improving overall team efficacy.
- Achieved compliance with performance standards in service activities.
- Managed MIS for postpaid to prepaid conversions in Bombay Circle, ensuring accurate tracking of transition processes.
Customer Service Representative
Godrej Law Kim Ltd
12.2005 - 07.2006
- Handled inbound calls from Tata Indicom prepaid customers, addressing queries and providing assistance to enhance customer satisfaction.
- Managed escalation calls from dissatisfied customers, resolving issues to restore confidence and improve overall customer experience.
- Addressed customer service enquires quickly and accurately.
- Assisted customers with product-related questions, feedback and complaints.
- Maximised customer satisfaction by resolving service issues promptly.
Education
Batchelor of commerce -
.
03-2007
Skills
- Crewing Operations Management
- Marine Personnel Management
- Crew Planning & Scheduling
- COMPAS Crew Management System
- Crew Recruitment & Retention
- Crew Change Operations
- Crew Budget Management
- Budget Management
- Regulatory Compliance
- Maritime compliance
- Compliance tracking
- Internal & External Audits
- Process Improvement
- Audit management
- Stakeholder Management
- Client Relationship Management
- Vendor & Agency Management
- Seafarer Engagement
- Workforce Planning
- Operational Strategy
- Succession Planning
- Crew Training Coordination
- Personnel Management
- Escalation Management
- Data Management
- Emergency Response
- Policy Development
- Union Negotiations
- Strong Leadership
- Team Leadership & Mentoring
- Team leadership
- Stakeholder Relationship Management
- Strategic Business Development
- Strategic alignment
- Conflict resolution
- Stakeholder communication
- Proficient in Crewing Operations
- Personnel Development
- Crew scheduling
- Stakeholder communication
- Conflict resolution
- Process improvement
- Audit management
- Succession planning
- Strategic alignment
- Leadership
Languages
English
Hindi
Marathi
Websites, Portfolios and Profiles
linkedin.com/in/Sumit Bhojane
Hobbies and Interests
- Listening to music
- Traveling
- Cricket
Training
- Leadership & Management Programme (LAMP), Northern Marine Clyde Training Solutions
- ISM Auditor Course, From BV
- AI Tools & Chat GPT workshop, From Be10x
- AI Career Accelerator Training Programme, From Be10x
Timeline
Crewing Manager
Northern Marine Ship Management
05.2017 - Current
Assistant Crewing Manager & Vetting Co-Ordinator
Northern Marine Ship Management
01.2016 - 05.2017
Senior Marine Personnel Officer
Northern Marine Ship Management
02.2015 - 01.2016
Marine Personnel Officer
ANGLO EASTERN SHIP MANAGEMENT PVT LTD
12.2010 - 02.2015
Marine Personnel Assistant
ANGLO EASTERN SHIP MANAGEMENT PVT LTD
12.2007 - 12.2010
Tele caller & Backoffice Executive
TATA TELESERVICES LTD.
08.2006 - 11.2007
Customer Service Representative
Godrej Law Kim Ltd
12.2005 - 07.2006
Batchelor of commerce -
.