NEWS

Career at Merchant Navy

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Career Prospects:

Qualification as a merchant navy officer can lead to opportunities throughout. Since the marine sector is growing, there are strong prospects for work. The merchant navy provides a range of career paths, with opportunities at sea and onshore. Following are the career options in merchant navy.

The Merchant navy career options mainly includes the following category :

• Navigating officers (Deck side officers)
• Marine engineering Officers (Engine side officers)
• Crew members (To assist the officers)
• Specialized officers (Electrical officer, Radio officers)

Shipping companies offer these positions on contracts for a period of 6 to 9 months. After finishing the contract period, the officers can enjoy leave & whenever they want to join back, the company will absorb them immediately. Presently the demand for Marine Engineers & Deck officers are high worldwide. The shipping companies are facing great shortage for the Deck & Engine officers. Hence the trained persons are getting immediate job opportunities all over the world

How To Join Merchant Navy

To work on board as a Navigating officer one needs to have the following qualification, either be a XIIth science student less than 22 years with PCM marks more than 60% marks or a BSc graduate with more than 60% in either Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry or Electronics but with Physics as a subject in any one year and age less than 25 years. In both cases a student must have more than 50% marks in English in the XIIth standard. Since this is a profession where a lot of time is spent in Navigation, a student who wishes to join the Navigating stream must have a 6x6 eyesight without glasses, no colour blindness and be of perfect health.

There are three kinds of ratings - deck, engine room and catering. Deck rating is responsible for cargo handling, mooring/unmooring and general maintenance of the ship. Similarly the engine room ratings assist the engineering officers in maintenance and operation of engines and associated equipment. The catering crew consists of Steward and Cooks are-

• Deck Department
• Engine Department
• Catering / Saloon Department

Deck Officer

The officers from this branch primarily look after the ships navigation, loading/unloading of cargo and the general maintenance and administration of the ship. The officer joins in the rank of 3rd officer and is subsequently promoted to the rank of 2nd officer, Chief Officer and finally the Master/Captain of the ship.

Deck officer as navigating officer, as the name suggests is responsible for the navigation, loading and maintenance of the ship. The deck officer first joins as a deck Seaman / cadet can becomes a Captain of a ship

NAVIGATING OFFICERS TEAM:

They are responsible for the navigation of the Ship, the loading / discharge of cargo, radio communication and the control / safety of the crew, and passengers. The chief navigator of the ship is the master, who decides the course of the voyage and maneuvers the vessel. He exercises complete control over the officers, crew and any passengers on board the ship. From the trainee cadet level, one will be promoted to captain of the ship with proper sea-experience & further exams.

• Captain
• Chief Officer
• Second Officer
• Trainee Cadets

Qualification

• 10+2 with P.C.M - Min - 60% or B.sc avg more than 55%
• Age : less than 25 yrs for 10+2 For B.sc - less than 25 yrs
• Eye sight 6/6 no colour blindness

Career Progress	Approximate Salary
One Year Pre sea Training
Training On Board Ship as Cadet for 18 months	Rs. 15,000 to 25,000 Per Month
Nautical College & 2nd Officer Exam
Work as 3rd Officer for 9 months	Rs. 90,000 to 1,50,000 Per Month
Work as 2nd officer for 12 months	Rs. 1,10,000 to 1,50,000 Per Month
Nautical College & Chief Officer Exam
Work as Chief Officer for 18 months	Rs. 4,00,000 to 6,50,000 Per Month
Master Exam, Promoted to Captain of Ship
Work as Captain	Rs.6,00,000 to 10,00,000 Per Month

Engineering Officers:

These are the officers who are qualified in Marine Engineering. They join as 4th Engineer and step by step, get promoted to 3rd, 2nd and Chief Engineer ranks, subject to their passing the competency exams and performance onboard the ship. The Engineering department in addition to looking after the main engine, are also responsible for associated equipment like power generation, equipment, cranes, pumps and air-conditioning etc.

ENGINEER OFFICERS TEAM:

The ship's engineers have complete responsibility of the ship's engine room i.e., the main engine, boilers, pumps, hydraulic fuel systems the ship's electrical generating plant and distribution system. From the trainee engineering officer level, one will be promoted to Chief Engineer of the ship with proper sea-experience and further exams.

• Chief Engineer
• Second Engineer
• Third Engineer
• Fourth Engineer
• Junior Engineering cadets

Qualification

• 10+2 with P.C.M.-Mim -60%
• 10+2 with P.C.M.-Mim -60%
• Eye sight 6/6 & no Colour Blindness

Career Progress	Approximate Salary
B TECH in Marine Engineering 4 yrs
On Board Training as J. Engineer for 6 months	Rs. 15,000 to 25,000 Per Month
Preparatory Course for 3 months
MEO class iv part B Exam
Work On Board as 4th Engineer	Rs. 90,000 to 110,000 Per Month
Work On Board as 3rd Engineer	Rs. 110,000 to 135,000 Per Month
Nautical College & 2nd Engineer Exam
Work as 2nd Engineer for 18 months	Rs. 150,000 to 200,000 Per Month
Chief Engineer Exam
Work as Chief Engineer	Rs. 250,000 to 350,000 Per Month

CREW TEAM:

The GP crew involve with all kind of day to day activities to assist either to Chief officers in Deck side or Second Engineer in Engine side. One can get Promotion from GP crew position to Captain level or Chief Engineer level with proper exams and sea experience. The catering crew will perform the food preparation and kitchen activities. The specialized fitters & welders are very much needed for various types of vessels.

• G.P Crew ( Deck & Engine crew)
• Catering crew ( Saloon Department)
• Fitters, Welders Etc.,

1. G.P Crew ( Deck & Engine crew)

Qualification

• 10TH Passed
• Age:below 25 yrs
• Eye sight 6/6 & no colour blindness

Career Progress	Approximate Salary
Six months Pre Sea Training
Training on Board Ship as Trainee Seaman For nine months	Rs. 10,000 to 20,000 Per Month
Get The Watch Keeping from MMD
Work as A/B for two years	Rs. 20,000 to 45,000 Per Month
Promoted to Bosun
Work as Bosun	Rs. 45,000 to 60,000 Per Month
Give exam for IInd Mate
Work as 3rd Officer	Rs. 80,000 to 120,000 Per Month

2. Catering crew ( Saloon Department)

This department is responsible for preparation of food and meals for the crew on board. They also maintain living quarters of the crew and the mess halls. This department includes Chief Cook, Second Cook & General Steward. One can join Catering department only as General Stewards or as Second Cook after doing required Pre-sea training.

The Merchant Navy mainly deals with transporting cargo and occasionally, passengers, by sea. It has different fleets composed of passenger vessels, cargo liners, tankers, Bulk carriers, Car carrier, containers as well as the other special types of vessels. Merchant Navy is the backbone of international trade, carrying cargo across the globe for Import & Export business.

Qualification

• 10+2 with 40% in English
• 6 months Saloon Rating Training

Career Progress	Approximate Salary
Work as a G/S for 1 yrs	Rs. 10,000 to 20,000 Per Month
Work as a A/Cook for 1 yrs	Rs. 20,000 to 25,000 Per Month
Work as a Chief Cook	Rs. 25,000 to 75,000 Per Month

3. Fitters, Welders Etc.

Career Progress	Approximate Salary
Joining as a Helper	Rs. 10,000 to 20,000 Per Month
Work as a Assistant Fitter/Welder 1 yrs	Rs. 20,000 to 25,000 Per Month
Work as a Welder/Fitter 1yrs	Rs. 25,000 to 75,000 Per Month