MERCHANT NAVY

The Merchant Navy is a non-combatant commercial fleet, which usually involves transporting cargo and occasionally, passengers, by the way of sea. Its fleet includes 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. Including all this the excellent pay and promising promotional opportunities make the career lucrative and exciting in spite of all the hard work and long absence from family and home. In Merchant Navy, major tasks which are performed are in three basic areas of a ship. The Deck, the Engine and the Saloon Department.

Thus there are many career options available for any youngster who has dreams to join the merchant navy. The deck officers include the captain, chief officer, second officer, third officer and other junior officers. The engine department consists of the chief engineer, second engineer, third engineer, fourth engineer, electrical officer and junior engineers. The service department manages the kitchen, laundry and other services. The main positions open in the merchant navy are for navigating officers, radio officers and marine engineers. They are usually employed by shipping companies on a contractual basis, which is generally of six to nine months duration. Earlier a career in this field was considered purely for men. Women were not generally known to take up jobs in Merchant navy but the past few years have seen a positive change with many women taking up jobs as ship doctors and radio officers.




Prominent institutes conducting courses in this field are TS Chanakya, Mumbai and Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), in Kolkata and Mumbai.
Educational qualification: The minimum eligibility for courses in Nautical science and Marine engineering is 10+2 or an equivalent examination with physics, chemistry and mathematics. Candidate 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.



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 Kolkata 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 which have been conducted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS), the quality of experience and personal merit.

After 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. Direct entry to Merchant Navy is also possible - students who have completed their 12th with PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) are eligible to join as Deck Cadets and a student holding a bachelor's degree in Mechanical/ Electrical/ Technology Engineering could also join the Merchant navy as a Engine Cadet/ Fifth Engineer/ Junior Engineer. Direct entry Deck Cadets are required to undergo basic pre-sea training arranged by the recruiting company itself and the direct entry Engineering cadets are preferred to do a Pre-sea course of 9 months duration in Marine Engineering conducted by the MERI.



A career in the merchant navy requires people with strong inner self and tough physical form, along with a sporting, adaptive and adjustable attitude. Willing to take on responsibility, love for adventure and challenges; have the urge to strive for higher positions; be able to work as well as study for examinations in between. Candidates need to be intelligent, intuitive, willing to work as a team, flexible, patient; have a liking for solitude, willing to live apart from loves ones for long stretches of time. Those opting for a career should not be sea sick. They are supposed to be resourceful and practical; skilled at Maths and Physics; have in-depth knowledge about the workings of the different machines. Manual dexterity is a must; one should be willing to learn new ways and work with modern technology; and able to work in the deck department as well if need arises.



Merchant Navy is the backbone and even the main source of international trade, carrying cargo across the globe. Without the support of merchant navy, much of the import-export business would come to a grinding halt. Therefore trained personnel are usually 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 and Foreign shipping companies also offer good job prospects.



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. Engineers 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.

Marine Engineers: they usually have the complete responsibility of the ship's technical management. The main personnel in this department is the Chief engineer who ensures safe and economic running of all engines, boilers, electrical, refrigerating and sanitary equipment, deck machinery and steam connections aboard the ship. He supervises the work of the engine-room crew and is assisted in his duties by the Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Engineers and other junior personnel. Second engineer looks after the day to day work in the engine room. Third engineer is in charge of the main engine, spare parts for the main engine, all purifiers, boilers, compressors, etc. Fourth engineer is in charge of the numerous generators onboard ship as well as certain small pumps.

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.

Engineering Department: A candidate joining as Engine cadet/ Fifth Engineer officer/ Junior Engineer after finishing Bachelors in Marine Engineering is eligible to appear for class IV examination for promotion to the fourth Engineer or in some cases as Third Engineer. After completing further 18 months of sea time of which minimum 12 months is propelling time, the candidate can appear for class II examination for promotion to Third Engineer or Second Engineer. Again on completion of 18 months sailing time candidate can appear for Class I examination for promotion to chief Engineer officer.

Merchant Navy Academy of Maritime Training SeaScan Marine Services Pvt. Ltd Panjim Directorate of Fire Services Mercantile Maritime Academy Lal Bahadur Shastri College of Nautical Sciences National Institute of Port Management Vel's College of Maritime Studies International Maritime Institute Tolani Maritime Institute T.S. Chanakya Institute T.S. Bhadra Institute T.S. Mekhala Insititute

Merchant Navy is one of the few careers where the salary hardly matters. It can range anywhere between Rs.12000 to Rs.8 lakhs per month though the pay structure differs from company to company, city to city, the export-import needs, seniority, etc.All crew members here including the officers are given free meals on board and senior officers can take along their wives for the voyage.

Usually emolument in the foreign vessels are very much higher specially the West European, U.S and the Gulf. Every officer and crew of such a merchant navy working on board a vessel which is carrying foreign cargo is entitled to 75% of his net earning in foreign exchange. Besides all this, imported liquor, cigarettes, canned foods, cosmetics are available on board duty free. They are also entitled to four month leave every year. The interesting fact is that there is no income tax returnimposed on the earnings of a merchant navy professional. Life in merchant navy is usually very much adventurous for all those with wanderlust.