The Marine Engineering and Research Institute (MERI), formerly known as the Directorate of Marine Engineering Training (DMET), now known as Indian Maritime University - Kolkata Campus and Mumbai Port Campus, is India's national institute and one of the institutes for the training of Marine Engineers and Polyvalent Officers. History Marine engineering training in India had its beginning in 1927 on board the training ship Dufferin. Eight years prior, the first Indian owned vessel, the S.S. Loyalty sailed out of Bombay Harbour on April 5, 1919 for London. The vessel was owned by M/S. Scindia Steam Navigation Company. The Master and the other officers were British. Subsequently, Sir P. S. Sivaswamy Iyer, KCSI, CIE moved a resolution in the Indian Legislature to train Indians for the merchant marine. The R.I.M.S. Dufferin was acquired by the Department of Commerce and commissioned as a training ship. In November 1927, the first batch of 50 nautical cadets joined the I.M.M.T.S. Dufferin under the command of Capt. Superintendent Sir Henry Digby Beste. In 1935, training of engineering cadets commenced on the Dufferin with each batch consisting of 25 nautical and 25 engineering cadets. Some famous graduates were Capt. M. J. Sayeed of NOL, Vice Admiral R. D. Katari, India's first Indian Chief of Naval Staff, DMET's founding Deputy Directors S. Kasthuri (who later went on to head INS Shivaji and Cochin Shipyard) and T.K.T. Srisailam At least eight of the Dufferin's graduates rose to be admirals. Many of the graduates rose to be the Principal Examiner of Engineers and the Chief Surveyor to the Government of India. At least one, K. Ramakrishna, was appointed as the Principal Examiner of Engineers at the Department of Trade, UK. In 1947, the newly independent country's founders foresaw the need for an up-to-date Merchant Marine. Article 246 of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India mandates that the Indian Union has jurisdiction and the responsibility for "Maritime shipping and navigation, including shipping and navigation on tidal waters; provision of education and training for the mercantile marine and regulation of such education and training provided by States and other agencies." On the recommendation of the Merchant Navy Officers Training Committee, constituted in 1947 by the Government of India, the function of pre-sea training of marine engineers was transferred ashore under a new name. The Directorate of Marine Engineering Training (DMET) began operations on August 10, 1949, in temporary facilities