Careers in Merchant Navy

Travelling the world, meeting with new folks and the lure of adventure is on the bucket list of every youngster who is starting out their professional career. Especially when it comes to travel by sea, oceans have their own charm and attract many youngsters. But apart from being a recreational activity or merely a vacation trip on a cruise ship, you can also turn for passion for sailing or seas into a real and lucrative career choice through Merchant Navy.

Merchant Navy is all about an adventurous life and working outdoors for months and years.

The merchant navy fleet includes different types of vessels, such as passenger liners, cargo ships, bulk carriers for cargo like food grains and ores, refrigerator ships for transporting perishable food items, tankers for carrying oil and other petroleum products and other special types of ships.

Job Profiles

Ø  Deck officer (navigation officer)

Ø  Electro-technical officer (ETO)

Ø  Engineer

Ø  Ratings - ratings are skilled seafarers who help all the officers with daily tasks

Ø  Catering & hospitality crew (pursers, stewards, chef, housekeeper etc.)

Eligibility

10+2 passed (with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and English subjects) from a recognized board or equivalent. Minimum aggregate marks in PCM subjects must not be less than 60%. Marks in English subject in 10th and 12th board exams should not be less than 50%.

Courses

After 10th

Ø  Near Coastal Voyage (NCV)

Ø  Diploma in Nautical Science (DNS)

Ø  Commercial Diving

Ø  G.P. Rating

Ø  G.M.E Course

Ø  DME (Diploma in Marine Engineering) Course

Ø  Deck Rating Course

Ø  Engine Rating Course

After 12th

Ø  B.Sc. Nautical Science

Ø  B.E. Marine Engineering

Ø  B.E. Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering

Ø  B.E. Petroleum Engineering

Ø  B.E. Mechanical Engineering

Ø  B.E. Harbour & Ocean Engineering

Ø  B.E. Civil Engineering

Ø  B.E. Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Ø  B.Sc. Marine Catering

Ø  Electro Technical Officer Course

Admission Criteria         

To take admission, the candidates need to clear the entrance examination which is followed by a screening test and a written examination. And an interview and a medical test precede the ship-training courses that are imparted to professionals prior to their appointment in the Merchant Navy.   

Some Entrance Tests

Ø  IMU CET (Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test)

Ø  AIMNET (All India Merchant Navy Entrance Test)

Subject/Syllabus

Ø  Mechanics of Fluids

Ø  Voyage Planning and Collision Prevention

Ø  Marine Electrical Technology

Ø  Nautical Physics and Electronics Paper

Ø  Electrical Machines

Ø  Ship Operation Technology

Ø  Marine Auxiliary Machine

Ø  Principles of Navigation

Ø  Marine IC Engineering

Ø  Shipping Management

Ø  Marine Boiler and System Engineering

Ø  Maritime Law

Ø  Naval Architecture

Ø  Cargo Machine and Marine Communication

Ø  Marine Heat Engines and Air Conditioning

Ø  Marine Machines and System Design

Ø  Environmental Science

Ø  STCW and Ship Fire Prevention

Ø  Some Institutes/Colleges/Universities

Ø  C.V. Raman College of Engineering, Bhubaneswar

Ø  AMET University, Chennai

Ø  Balaji Seamen Training Institute, Chennai

Ø  Chennai School of Ship Management, Chennai

Ø  Chidambaram Institute of Maritime Technology, Chennai

Ø  CMC Maritime Academy, Chennai

Ø  Cosmopolitan Technology of Maritime, Chennai

Ø  Hindustan Institute Of Maritime Training Post Sea  Training Centre, Chennai

Ø  Centre for Maritime Education and Training, Dehradun

Ø  Mumbai Maritime Training Institute, Dehradun

Ø  Oceanic Maritime Academy, Dehradun

Ø  Institute of Maritime Studies, Goa

Ø  Francon's Marine Academy, Goa

Ø  Natcom Education & Research Foundation, Gurgaon

Ø  Haldia Institute of Maritime Studies & Research, West Bengal

Ø  Indian Maritime University, Gujarat

Ø  Amer Maritime Training Academy, Kanpur

Ø  Euro Tech Maritime Academy, Kochi

Ø  Institute of Marine Engineers, Kochi

Ø  Indian Maritime University, Kochi

Ø  College of Maritime Studies & Research, Kolkata

Ø  Indian Maritime University, Kolkata

Ø  Centre for Maritime Education & Training, Lucknow

Ø  J. Sons Merchant Navy Institute, Meerut

Cost of the Course

The fee of government institutions will be nearly ₹ 2.5 lakh per annum. On the other hand private college fees will be nearly ₹ 4.5 - ₹ 5 lakhs.

Career Prospects

Today, over 90 per cent of cargo is transported across the world through ships. In a globalised world, the merchant navy forms a crucial component of international trade and contributes significantly to the economy of a country.

Merchant Navy is the backbone of international trade, carrying cargo across the globe. Without the merchant navy, much of the import-export business would grind to a halt. Therefore trained personnel are required for various departments of the ship and this widens the scope for employment in this field.

Employment opportunities in India are offered by government shipping companies like the Shipping Corporation of India as well by privately run Indian and international shipping companies, such as Great Eastern Shipping, Essar, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Dockendale, Wallem and Chevron.

Employment Sector

Ø  Ship

Ø  Ships Dockyard

Ø  Shipping Companies

Income

The starting salary varies between ₹ 50,000 - ₹ 80,000 a month. A person gets a variety of benefits such as free food, accommodation, paid leave, two-way free passage and facilities for families. In other words, the salary can be saved totally while one is on ship.