FPSO and platform operations crew
Process operators, control-room staff and utility technicians live on board for a rotation and are asked for the certificate before mobilisation.
Course snapshot
CourseTropical Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (T-BOSIET)
OPITO code5501
Duration3 Days
Fee₹35,000
Validity4 Years
Fee₹35,000 per person
Duration3 days, OPITO 5501
Certificate validity4 years
Vizag to Ernakulam by trainAbout 24 h
Vizag to Kakinada by roadAbout 155 km, 3 h
Why the KG basin makes T-BOSIET a working certificate for Vizag crews
The Krishna-Godavari basin lies in the Bay of Bengal off the Kakinada coast, south of Visakhapatnam, and its main shore base is at Kakinada, roughly 155 km by road from Visakhapatnam and three hours or so away. Crew who live in Visakhapatnam therefore often travel to Kakinada before a crew change, and the offshore work they are joining is run by deepwater operators. Reliance and bp have brought three fields on stream in the KG D6 block: R-Cluster in December 2020, Satellite Cluster in April 2021 and the MJ field in mid-2023. MJ sits in water depths of up to 1,200 metres and is produced through a floating production, storage and offloading vessel named Ruby. ONGC's own deepwater development in the basin uses the FPSO Armada Sterling V.
These are installations where people arrive by helicopter or boat, live on board for a rotation and need to evacuate fast. That is what T-BOSIET is built for. OPITO designed the tropical version for warm-water regions, so it teaches sea survival without an immersion suit and treats heat-related issues in the survival module. The Bay of Bengal off Andhra Pradesh fits that description, which is why Vizag crew most often ask for T-BOSIET rather than the standard course.
Helicopter travel is a growing part of the picture. In December 2024 Pawan Hans was reported to have won a ten-year contract worth over Rs 2,000 crore to provide four Dhruv NG helicopters for ONGC's offshore personnel transport. Whether you fly from Kakinada or elsewhere is for the operator to tell you, but the point holds: every person who flies to an offshore installation needs to know how to brace, escape and survive, and the tropical HUET module is where you practise it.
For a Visakhapatnam candidate the course also fills a gap between shore jobs and offshore ones. Naval architecture and ocean engineering graduates trained at the Indian Maritime University campus in the city, fabricators and shipyard technicians, and port and vessel crew can all move toward offshore work, but their first offer will normally require the survival certificate before a mobilisation date is set.
Kakinada shore base
About 155 km by road from Visakhapatnam; the working base for the Krishna-Godavari offshore fields.
KG D6 block (Reliance and bp)
Three deepwater fields: R-Cluster (December 2020), Satellite Cluster (April 2021) and MJ (2023), the last in up to 1,200 m of water.
FPSO Armada Sterling V
The vessel ONGC uses to produce oil from its KG deepwater block in the Bay of Bengal.
ONGC helicopter contract
A ten-year contract for four Dhruv NG helicopters for offshore personnel transport, reported December 2024.
Roles from Visakhapatnam that need T-BOSIET
Mechanical, electrical and instrument technicians
Maintenance work on deepwater installations is done offshore, and the offer letter often lists the induction as a condition.
Riggers, welders, scaffolders and crane operators
Trades common in Vizag yards and fabrication shops that are also needed on hook-up and shutdown campaigns.
Offshore support vessel deck and engine crew
Vessels that serve the platforms keep their own crew on survival-training lists.
Inspection, NDT, ROV and survey technicians
Specialist contractors travel to installations for short campaigns and need it before boarding.
Catering, medical and HSE staff
They are on the same muster, helicopter and abandon-ship drills as the technical crew.
T-BOSIET, BOSIET or digital delivery: choosing from Visakhapatnam
T-BOSIET (OPITO 5501) costs ₹35,000 for three days and is valid four years. The standard BOSIET with EBS (OPITO 5700) costs the same and is taught with aviation suits and EBS practice. For work on the KG basin, the warm-water version is what most crew ask for, but an FPSO owner or international contractor may have its own induction list. Ask for the course name and code in writing. If you are short of days, the digital-delivery version of T-BOSIET (OPITO 5507) moves the theory online and leaves one practical day at the campus; the fee is also ₹35,000, so the saving is travel, not money. If you only need helicopter escape for tropical operations, T-HUET is a one-day OPITO course at ₹25,000, valid four years.
Tropical Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (Digital Delivery) →
You can study online in Visakhapatnam and want one practical day at the campus instead of three.
Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training with EBS (BOSIET with EBS) →
The operator or an international contractor writes standard BOSIET (5700) into the offer.
Tropical Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (T-HUET) →
You already hold the other tropical modules and the contract asks only for helicopter underwater escape.
The four modules, for a Bay of Bengal rotation
Training is classroom plus instructor-led practical work, with helicopter escape and sea survival in a pool using a Modular Egress Training Simulator, and fire fighting on a dedicated fire ground. Assessment is continuous and practical against the OPITO standard.
- 01
Safety induction
Offshore hazards and risk controls, safety legislation and management systems, and roles offshore. For a deepwater FPSO crew, this is the vocabulary of the permit and muster system.
- 02
Helicopter safety and escape (tropical HUET)
Hazards of tropical helicopter travel, brace positions and escape from a capsized, submerged helicopter. Important for anyone who will be flown to an installation off the Andhra coast.
- 03
Sea survival and first aid
Tropical sea survival without an immersion suit, lifejackets and life rafts, hyperthermia and tropical-environment considerations, and basic first aid.
- 04
Fire fighting and self-rescue
Fire hazards and prevention, portable extinguishers and self-rescue from a smoke-filled environment, which matters on a facility handling gas and condensate.
For Visakhapatnam contractors, vessel operators and manning agencies
Companies in Visakhapatnam that send people to the KG basin include fabrication and maintenance contractors, vessel operators and manning agencies. They often mobilise batches for a campaign and prefer to book in groups.
Standards that shape training in Andhra Pradesh
Petroleum and Natural Gas (Safety in Offshore Operations) Rules, 2008Notified for offshore operations, with OISD as the competent authority.
Directorate General of HydrocarbonsOversees the licensing and monitoring of exploration and production blocks in the basin.
Operator contractor requirementsEach operator or FPSO owner sets its own list of required induction and survival courses.
What employers commonly ask for
| Course | Requirement note |
|---|---|
| Tropical Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training (T-BOSIET) | Frequently asked of crew for warm-water Indian offshore assets. The operator and contract decide. |
| Basic Offshore Safety Induction and Emergency Training with EBS (BOSIET with EBS) | May be asked where crew are mobilised on international contracts. |
| Tropical Helicopter Underwater Escape Training (T-HUET) | A one-day option for helicopter escape for tropical operations. |
Planning a group booking
- Register at portal.imostacademy.in/register for team logins, contract (rate card) pricing and group bookings.
- Indian entities receive GST invoices; purchase orders are accepted and credit terms can follow a credit assessment.
- Send the names, the exact course code from the client and the mobilisation date together, so we can match a batch to it.
- A group travelling from Visakhapatnam saves on the long journey if it uses one train or one itinerary.
- The portal tracks certificate expiry, so a campaign planner sees which crew need renewal before the next mobilisation.
Operators and clients set their own requirements; confirm with your contract or HSE department.
From Visakhapatnam to Njarakkal, planned for a rotation
Visakhapatnam to Kochi is a long way, and the best option depends on how many days you have. Air itineraries have one stop, commonly at Bengaluru. The overnight-plus-day train is steady and avoids airport transfers.
Visakhapatnam to Kochi with one stop
Typical totals are around 7 to 8 hours including the connection. We could not confirm a nonstop; check the airline timetable for current schedules.
Shalimar to Thiruvananthapuram Express (22642)
Listed at Visakhapatnam at about 14:40 and Ernakulam Junction at about 14:32 the next afternoon, around 24 hours. Confirm running days before you book.
From Kakinada to Visakhapatnam first
Crew coming from the Kakinada base can add about 155 km by road, around three hours, before the long leg to Kochi.
A five-day plan around your offshore rotation
- 1
Confirm the course and code
Ask your employer or recruiter whether they want T-BOSIET (5501), digital delivery (5507) or something else.
- 2
Plan the dates around the rotation
Pick a batch that finishes before your mobilisation date, with a spare day in hand. Ask our team for current dates.
- 3
Day 0: travel to Kochi
Take the afternoon train or a morning flight and reach the campus area the night before.
- 4
Days 1 to 3: the course
Classroom, pool, helicopter simulator and fire ground. Bring swimwear, a towel, comfortable clothing and photo ID, and declare medication.
- 5
Day 4: travel home
Collect your certificate, note its four-year expiry and share a copy with your employer or manning agent.