Monday, October 25, 2010

The Merchant Navy


The Merchant Navy is a non-combatant commercial fleet, which deals with transporting cargo and occasionally, passengers, by sea. Its fleet is therefore composed of passenger vessels, cargo liners, tankers, carriers, as well as other special types of vehicles. A career in this field is full of adventure and long voyages to exotic places. Above all this, the excellent pay and promising promotional opportunities make the career lucrative and exciting in spite of all the hard work life and long absence from family and home.


Eligibility & Course Areas

qualification: The minimum eligibility for courses in Nautical science and Marine engineering is 10+2 or an equivalent examination with physics, chemistry and mathematics. He should also pass a medical fitness test for sea service under standard norms and with eyesight 6/6 with no colour blindness.
Candidates wishing to enter the navigational and engineering fields of Merchant Navy need to complete a Bachelors degree in Nautical Science or Marine engineering, before they can gain admission to the field.
Selection: Candidates are selected for the B.Sc. Nautical Science degree of TS Chanakya, Mumbai; and the four-year Marine Engineering degree course at Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), in Calcutta and Mumbai, known as DMET, through the Joint Entrance Examination conducted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), which assesses the candidate’s knowledge of physics, chemistry and mathematics. The examination is followed by personal interviews/counseling, where the interviewers assess the degree of alertness, and awareness of the external environment, in the candidates and their suitability for a career in the Merchant Navy.  
The entry level for a fresh Marine Engineer (ME) is at the rank of fifth engineer or junior engineer and a Nautical Science graduate is as a Deck Cadet. Promotions depend on further examinations conducted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), the quality of experience and personal merit. On successfully completing these examinations the candidate receives the 'Certificates of Competency' needed for promotion to the respective classes. This examination is conducted by the Ministry of Surface Transport, in association with the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) Mumbai, for determining the promotion prospects for the officers.



Job Prospects
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 is required for various departments of the ship and this widens the scope for employment in this field.
They are offered jobs in the following major areas :
 •  By various shipping companies in the government and private sector.
 •  Foreign shipping companies also offer good job prospects.
Career options
Deck Department
The Deck Officers: Deck officer or navigation officer as the name suggests is in charge of the navigation of the ship. That particular department is called Deck department. The captain or the master of the ship is in charge of the ship. He is not only responsible for the safe navigation of the vessel but also for the discipline on the ship and safety of passengers, crew and the cargo. He must ensure the observance of national and international codes of conduct guiding sea transportation. The captain of the ship is further assisted by first mate, second mate and third mates. The First Mate / Chief officer is the right-hand man to the Captain; the second in-command. He overseers all the cargo planning, assists during navigation, allocates duties and work for the maintenance and upkeep of the ship to the Deck Cadets and deck crew, ensures that discipline and order are maintained. The Second Mate / Second officer, assistant to the First Mate is in-charge of checking all mails and keeping the navigational equipment and charts in good condition and also assists in navigational watches at sea and cargo watches at port. The Third Mate / Third officer is responsible for keeping safety equipments -the lifeboats, firefighting and signaling equipment in top condition; acts in the capacity of signal officer and assists with cargo work. 
The deck department also has other staff with specific duties called 'ratings'. They act as look outs and helmsmen, assist with the securing of the ship as it docks at ports and help clean tanks and holds before the cargo is placed in them.

Service Department
The work undertaken here revolves around the living and catering services for all the crew on board. A chief steward heads a large team of stewards, bakers, mess men etc. Apart from this, the department also has other services such as the services of Divers for underwater examination of the heel of the ship, propellers, pipes etc. Light Keepers, who operate light house signaling equipment to guide incoming and passing  ships, and Nautical surveyors, who prepare charts of particular regions of the seas, with regard to topography and conditions of the sea.

   
After completing 18 months of sailing time the third officer can appear for the Chief Officer/ First Mate Foreign Going Examination. Here again the candidate is required to attend 6 months classes in Lal Bahadur Shastry Nautical College, Mumbai. A further period of 18 months sailing time is required before a candidate can appear for Masters foreign Going Exam. The process of rising from a deck cadet to the master of a ship will take a minimum of at least 12 years.


Institutes

Coaching center for Merchant Navy Selection
The Horizons
B-xx-83, college road civil lines
Ludhiana, Punjab
Phone  :0161-3941308
E-Mail :Contact Us, Contact Us 

Website : http://www.thehorizons.in/
The institute is Authorized by stet maritime education pvt ltd Singapore, to select candidates and send them to Singapore for training and jobs. The institute also prepare fresh candidates and help them for selection into world's best shipping companies. It is  run by a master mariner, committed to quality and excellence.

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