If you can bear to be away from your loved ones (we aren't talking about the ones on the ports!) for months together let's set sailing…
CAREER OVERVIEW
We hope you know what the Merchant Navy is. It has nothing to do with the Indian Navy. They are not used as an army to defend our seas from infiltrators or any such thing. The Merchant Navy comprises of passenger vessels, cargo vessels, liners, ore carriers and other types of specialised ships. These ships are operated by private sector shipping companies and manned by trained navigators, Marine Engineers and crew. Merchant Navy fleet consists of cargo ships, container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, refrigerator ships, and passenger ships.
A closer look at each of these:
Bulk carriers carry heavy weight cargo such as grain, oil, ore, etc. Container ships carry cargo in containers.
Tankers are ships, which carry oil and other petroleum products in large tanks built inside the ship.
Refrigerator ships have huge cold storage plants to carry perishable food stuff and items on specific service routes.
Passenger ships carry passengers from one place to other. These ships are either just ships with different classes for carrying passengers or are luxury cruise liners.
You could join the Merchant Navy as a Junior Navigating Officer/Second/Third Mate, or Marine Engineer (as a Fifth Engineer). You could even join as service crew. You'll work on a contractual basis for a period of six to nine months. Thereafter, you will have to upgrade your skills, get a certificate of higher proficiency, and again get a new contract on board.
Don't you want to know your responsibilities in each of these job functions? Here it is:
Mate/Navigating Officer: You are in the operation side. You'll act like a pilot (in this case a ship) and help the ship navigate its way through the rough, handle loading/unloading of cargo and ensure safe operation of the ship. Apart from that you'll also keep a watch over the many seamen, crew and passenger, ensure safety, observe and implement national and international codes of conduct, etc. You will also act as a Radio Officer (not a radio, you will be handling sophisticated electronic communication system operated through satellite), handling the communication with other ships, land, and port authorities.
Marine Engineer: You'll handle the technical side of the ship - engine and all the electrical, mechanical and electronic equipments. Maintenance of the ship in tip-top condition is your forte.
The service department manages the kitchen, laundry, house keeping, medical and other services.
Your career in Merchant Navy will start as a deck cadet (the lowest order in the hierarchy). You'll do just about everything from deck maintenance, looking after ship equipment, cargo handling to ship handling (docking, undocking and manoeuvring). You'll also be trained in handling emergencies and paper work. In other words you'll work like a dog!
If you survive that, you'll be promoted to the post of Third Officer or Safety Officer. You'll be in charge of safety procedures and the ship's equipments. You are followed by Second Mate, someone who overseas navigation of the vessel and stationery.
If you reach the post of the Chief officer/First officer, you'll will be second in command to the master and supervise the Third and Second Officers. You'll also look after the cargo. If you reach the post of Captain, you have finally made it. You are the boss now.
Promotions and better salaries depend on clearing the requisite competency exams conducted by the Ministry of Surface Transport through DGS.
On the other hand, in the engineering side, your career will start as the Fifth Engineer, and thereafter Fourth Engineer, Third Engineer and finally the Chief Engineer.
REQUIREMENTS
A basic quality here is a love for the sea. You have to be water borne. Willingness to stay away from your family comes next. Of course as you rise in your position, you will be allowed to bring your wife and children on board. But that will take some years of service.
On the personal front you should:
- Love adventure
- Have willingness to travel
- Have strong leadership abilities
- Presence of mind
- An ability to adapt to different situations/environment/people
- Be very hard working - your working hours may be all 24 hours!
To qualify a place on a Merchant Navy ship you should complete B.Sc. in Nautical Science/Deck Cadet Officer course at any of the training academies. Alternatively, one of the shipping companies could sponsor your studies, but then you would be contractually obliged to serve them for a certain number of years.
Eligibility for Deck Cadet Officer:
HSC or B.SC with Maths and Physics as their main subjects from a recognised university.
Age Limit: The age restriction is 20 years for HSC and 22 years for B.Sc. candidates. This restriction is however, relaxed for some Foreign Shipping Companies and must be verified with the companies.
Medical Standard: Candidate should be physically fit for sea service under standard norms.
Engineering branch requirements are as follows:
Degree in Marine Engineering/Mechanical Engineering from a university or institute recognised by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.
Medical Standard: Candidate should be physically fit for sea service under standard norms.
Age Limit: Maximum 25 years at the time of entry.
For Service department:
Any background will do. However, background in hotel management with experience in the hospitality business will be a great help.
In this field you need to upgrade your skills every nine months or so, through proficiency development or skill development courses in the maritime academies and pass examinations conducted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS). This will be your key to new contracts.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
You could join any of the shipping companies - Indian or foreign.
Your career graph would be as follows:
- Deck Cadet
- 3rd Officer/Mate
- 2nd Officer/Mate
- Chief Officer/First Officer/Mate
- Captain
After a successful stint or retirement, you can return to land where you work in:
- Government Surveyors of Ships
- Cargo and insurance surveyors
- Marine Superintendents of Shipping companies.
- Pilots of ships at ports.
- Lecturer in Maritime Education/training academies
MONEY & OTHER BENEFITS
The money is good in this field. You could start off with as much as Rs 27,000 per month and work up to 1.5 - 2 lakh a month.
If you work for foreign vessels then well you will earn in dollars. Your gross salary can be as much as Rs. 4 lakh a month at the top of your career. You are usually allowed 4-months leave every year. Items like imported liquor, cigarettes are all duty-free on board.
CAREER PROSPECTS
First of all, the future does not look great at the moment. Domestic shipping industry accounts for only 30 per cent of India's total sea-borne trade (aggregate of cargo coming in and out of India). It is also decreasing over the years. This means, foreign shipping companies control rest of the 70 per cent. And it is not always easy to get jobs in a foreign shipping company. So, as a whole the job market is not growing.
The crisis has been deepened by the overall decrease in the movement of cargo across South-East Asia. Only exception is the increase in movement of petroleum products.
But the plus point is that the shipping industry is a global industry and has a cyclical nature. This means, even if South-East Asia is seeing a down turn, on a global scale, it is not that bad. Also, the industry is bound to come back on a growth track because it is cyclical in nature.
Books
Life Line: The Merchant Navy at War 1939-1945
Peter Elphick,
Combined Books
