Navigating Hazards, Building Futures with Ravi Sharma
- Prateek Khanna
- Sep 1
- 6 min read
Updated: Sep 10
A Candid Conversation with Ravi Sharma (Founder & CEO, SOS India Pvt. Ltd.) — from Hanumangarh to Green Ship Recycling
Podcast host: Prateek Khanna (DMET Club, Yugen Infra)Language: Hinglish (English + Hindi)
“Green ship recycling ka core hai: minimum damage to environment and zero harm to people. Hong Kong Convention ke guidelines follow karo—that’s it.” — Ravi Sharma
This blog is a faithful, detailed write-up of our MarineX/Yugen Radio conversation with Ravi Sharma, a MERI Mumbai alumnus, sailor-turned-entrepreneur, and the founder of SOS India Pvt. Ltd. If you’re a ship manager, owner, or a professional who cares about safe, compliant recycling and hazardous-material awareness—don’t skip a line. We’ve kept everything in, just the way we spoke—Hinglish, straight talk, and no fluff.
Contact Ravi & the SOS team via WhatsApp or by email at rsharma@sosindi.com to learn more about their work or to collaborate with them.
Watch the Podcast
Meet Ravi: From Hanumangarh to MERI Mumbai
Ravi hails from Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. Hindi-medium schooling, Rajasthan Board, and then—like countless engineering hopefuls—Kota.
Aspirations were high: foreign studies, scholarships, standardized tests. But life zig-zagged.
A simple financial crunch for a friend nudged him away from an expensive exam form and toward an affordable ₹700 TS Chanakya/MERI/DMET form.
He cleared it, and landed at MERI Mumbai, entering the sixth batch of the dual-degree (deck/engine-side) format under DG Shipping. (Back then, admissions were via IIT-JEE; the three institutes were TS Chanakya, MERI Mumbai, and MERI Kolkata.)
Family background: Lower middle class. Ravi’s father served with the government—toll naka to gram sevak (Village Secretary)—a self-made, persistent figure who studied up to MA without family backing. Money was never free-flowing, but grit certainly was.
The MERI Mumbai Experience: Brotherhood, People & Leadership
Ravi’s first encounter with Mumbai was a drenched August counseling at LBS College—first time in the city, first sight of a sea-hugging campus. The romance of the ocean hit everyone hard.
But the real education came in three parts:
People & People Skills “DMET/MERI/IMU ka sabse bada gift? People. Extraordinary seniors, batchmates, juniors—musicians, athletes, chess champs, runners, bodybuilders—sab ek level pe treat hote hain. Dosti aaj bhi wahi hai.”
Brotherhood: The paramilitary discipline, the hostel nights, the ‘first night’ reality check after the wardens’ rounds—lifelong camaraderie began there.
Leadership Under Constraints: Phones & laptops not allowed then, yet students were expected to present at technical seminars. “Resource constraints ne sikhaya ki jab kuchh nahi hota tab bhi kuchh banaya ja sakta hai”—perfect training for entrepreneurship.
Sailing Career: SCI, Dual Path, and the Knee That Changed Everything
Structure was clear:
Complete degree → 12 months deck cadetship + 6 months as 5th Engineer (TME).
Then choose your side.
Ravi sailed with Shipping Corporation of India (SCI), mostly tankers, up to Class II. Placements for his batch were strong—“agar koi reh bhi gaya, woh aksar interview nerves the.”
The twist: In 2017, barely 1.5 months into a sailing stint post-Class II, a knee injury in the engine room led to a partial ligament tear. Doctors advised no surgery, extensive physiotherapy, and “ships ko 1–2 saal bhool jao.” For a sailor, that’s an identity-level shock.
Plan B began in Belapur: guest training gigs, senior guidance, and soon, a niche opened up—ELECTRICAL (ETO) COC training. A prior DP electric-propulsion ship stint at SCI had sparked Ravi’s love for electrical systems. He leveraged that experience to coach senior ETOs (some with Navy background and more years than his age then).Four trainees started; two cleared immediately; the other two knew the answers but froze in the exam. Word of mouth took off. By end-2017, RS Marine Academy was born in Belapur—Ravi’s first “baby.” Today it runs low-key, but he keeps it alive—“first product ko band nahi karta.”
SOS India Pvt. Ltd.: Solutions Overall for Shipping
Year: 2018 onwardTrigger: Ravi visited Alang (Bhavnagar, Gujarat), Asia’s largest ship-recycling hub. What he saw disturbed him:
HSE gaps: Workers without adequate PPE, minimal hazard awareness.
Invisible killers: Asbestos—a mineral fiber used for insulation, high-temperature gaskets, and high-pressure applications—doesn’t smell, doesn’t show, latches onto clothes, and can be inhaled at home by family members. Though banned “on paper” in many places (ships included), you still find it in parts of the world.
“Asbestos is a silent killer—the most dangerous hazardous material today in shipping and ship recycling.”
Ravi felt: “Yahan kisi shipping-insider ki zarurat hai—jo kaam aur hazards samajhta ho, aur workers ko sahi tareeke se sikha sake.”That insight became SOS India Pvt. Ltd. — Solutions Overall for Shipping.
What SOS India Does (Core Pillars)
Green Ship Recycling — Consultancy & Compliance Monitoring
Based on IMO’s Hong Kong Convention (HKC), which lays down the guidelines for safe, environmentally sound ship recycling.
If your recycling follows the structure of HKC guidelines, you’re doing Green Ship Recycling.
SOS works for shipowners and stakeholders to ensure people safety and environmental protection at the yard.
IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials) — Approved Supplier
HKC drives IHM across all operational ships.
SOS is approved by multiple IACS bodies as an IHM service supplier.
They create a Visual & Sampling Check Plan (VSCP), collect samples, test in accredited labs, compile the final IHM report, and submit to class.
IMO DCS & EU MRV Compliance
Parallel services: Data Collection System (DCS) for IMO and EU MRV reporting—end-to-end support.
Industrial H&S Training (Department-Approved)
Department of Industrial Health & Safety, Gujarat—Approved Trainers.
10,000+ hours of training delivered to 3,000+ workers (and counting).
Focus: Working at Heights, Enclosed Space Rescue, and their USP: HazMat training—so workers know exactly what they’re handling and how to handle it safely.
How Big Is Ship Recycling Today?
Past 1–2 years in India: Slowed down because freight markets are high (geopolitical tensions, wars, etc.).
When freight is high, owners don’t scrap, so recycling dips.
Overall market remains huge—the cycle turns.
Entrepreneurship: Pain, Patience, and the “Long Game”
“Entrepreneurship is not a six-month sprint—it’s a 5, 10, 15, 20-year marathon.”
Ravi’s Pivot: The knee injury pushed him ashore, but faith and family held the line. He credits SCI for rich exposure (like DP electric-propulsion), which later supercharged his ETO training chops.
On “Giving Back”Ravi and I share this deeply: Stop only seeking; start giving. A lot of alumni ask, “College ne kya diya?”—but giving back opens doors you didn’t know existed. Jo doge, wahi badhega.
For Young Founders (Especially in Maritime):
Take risks early. Seniors are often locked by lifestyle, EMIs, and stability. You’re unencumbered—this is your window.
No shortcuts. “Easy money” ka lalach chhodo. Suffer early so you harden into steel.
Consistency > Hype. Many quit by month three. Real entrepreneurship is measured in years, not weeks.
Small projects for cashflow are fine, but don’t lose your True North.
“Main naya business shuru karne walon ko ‘aashirvaad’ deta hoon—pain and suffering ka—taaki aap future ke liye ready ho jao. Furnace se nikle bina steel nahi banta.”
Reality Check: Big companies lay off thousands in a season; entrepreneurs keep hiring. If you want India to thrive, support entrepreneurs.
The Man Behind the Company: Partner, Parent, Professional
Ravi is married (a cross-caste love story—not easy in Rajasthan), and has a five-year-old daughter.He chose to prioritize family: packing up by 6:30 PM to make it home for evening chai with his wife—non-negotiable.Message to fellow founders: Don’t isolate yourself. In my early years, I did—and it was a mistake. Friends and family are force multipliers.
Why I Recommend SOS India (and Ravi) Without Hesitation
I’ve observed Ravi for 4–5 years. He is honest, relentless, and deeply operational. If you need:
Green Ship Recycling consulting & yard-level compliance monitoring
IHM (Inventory of Hazardous Materials) by IACS-approved supplier
HazMat, Enclosed Space Rescue, Work at Height training
IMO DCS / EU MRV compliance support
Call him. Give him a chance. He’ll deliver.
We at DMET Club stand behind Ravi and SOS India. If he knocks, open the door.
(Contact details, email, and phone can be placed here in your blog’s footer/description block along with the podcast links.)
Market Notes & What’s Next
India’s ship-recycling: Cyclic—tied to freight rates and global shocks.
Compliance pressure is only going up—HKC alignment, IHM on all operational ships, and stricter worker safety expectations at yards.
We’re exploring topic-wise sessions with Ravi—maybe even ETO-oriented micro-courses for those joining as ETO officers.
Final Word: Gratitude & Future Crossings
Ravi flew in from Bhavnagar to record with us. Despite being tired, by the end of the chat he said he felt recharged—that’s the effect of shared purpose.
“Bas ek minute aur kar lete hain?” he smiled.
Ravi, thank you—for your candor, your work with workers, and your belief that safety and sustainability can be real in Indian ship recycling. May our paths keep crossing—Delhi, Singapore, Hong Kong, and beyond.
For readers: If you’ve read this far, you’re serious. Reach out to SOS India for green recycling, IHM, HazMat training, and compliance. Support entrepreneurs—that’s how we build futures.
— Prateek Khanna Founder, DMET Club | Director, Yugen Infra
Contact Ravi & the SOS team via WhatsApp or by email at rsharma@sosindi.com to learn more about their work or to collaborate with them.
Meet Ravi of Mariners Night in Delhi on October 5, 2025
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