Here Are The Few Things You Should Know Before You Join Merchant Navy –

Q.1 What Do You Mean By Merchant Navy?
Ans: Merchant Navy Is A Profession, In Which You Get To Work On A Merchant Vessel/ship. Worldwide Cargo Is Being Transported By These Ships. Oil, Chemical, Packaged Goods, Cars, Iron Ore, Coal Etc Are Different Types Of Cargo And Are Carried In These Type Of Vessels.

Q.2  What Is The Difference Between Navy And Merchant Navy?
Ans: Main Difference Between Navy And Merchant Navy Is That Navy Is An Armed Force Meant For The Protection Of The Country And Works Under The Govt. Where As, Merchant Navy Is A Commercial Sector, Where You Work On A Merchant Vessel And Earn Wages For Your Service Onboard.

Q.3 What Are The Career Prospects In Merchant Navy?
Ans: On A Merchant Ship There Are Three Departments:
(i) Deck Side/Department: Deck Side Represents People Onboard Who Are Responsible For Cargo Operations, Navigation And Other Deck Works.

(ii) Engine Side/Department: Engine Side Represents People Onboard Who Are Responsible For Running And Maintenance Of All Machinery, Including Main Engine For Propulsion.

(iii) Galley Side/Department: Galley Side Represents People Onboard Who Are Responsible For Preparing Food For People Onboard/crew. This Department Also Looks After The Housekeeping Onboard.

Q.4 What Are The Different Ranks And Average Salary At Which You Can Work On Board?
Ans: In Deck Department:(Ranked Higher To Lower)
(i) Master/ Captain: He Is The Highest Authority In The Deck Side And Onboard As Well. In General, He Also Is The Highest Paid Person Onboard. He Looks After Wages, Maneuvering And Lot Other Responsibilities. Average Salary Of A Master Is 10,000-16,000 USD Per Month.

 (ii) Chief Officer:  He Is Second In Command In Deck Side. He Looks After Cargo, Ship Security, Deck Maintenance And Such Other Things.  His Average Salary Lies Between 7,000-10,000 USD Per Month.

(iii) 2nd Officer: He Handles The Passage Planning, Navigational & Cargo Watch And Is Sub-ordinate  Medical Officer After Master. His Average Salary Is 4,000- 6,000 USD Per Month.

(iii) 3rd Officer: He Conducts Navigational And Cargo Watches And Is In Charge Of Life Saving Appliances(LSA) And Fire Fighting Appliances(FFA).His Average Salary Per Month Is 1,600-4,000 USD Per Month.

(iv) Deck Cadet: He Is The Trainee Officer, Assists In All Operations. His Average Salary Is 300-800 USD Per Month.

(v) AB: Able Bodied Seamen, Is A Deck Rating Who Assist Deck Officers In All Their Works. His Average Salary Is  1200-1800 USD Per Month.

(vi) OS: Ordinary Seamen, Is A Junior Deck Rating Who Assist Deck Officers In All Their Works.  His Average Salary Is 500-1000 USD Per Month.

Engine Department:(Ranked Higher To Lower)
(i) Chief Engineer: He Is The In-charge Of Engine Department And Highest Authority In Engine Department. His Rank Is Equivalent To Master Onboard. His Average Salary Is 10,000-16,000 USD Per Month.

(ii) 2nd Engineer: He Is Next To Chief Engineer And Equivalent To Chief Officer, Is The In-charge Of Main Engine And Looks After All Other Machinery And Engine Room Maintenance. His Average Salary Is 7,000-10,000 USD Per Month.

(iii) Electrical Officer: He Is The In-charge Of All Electrical Equipments On Board. His Average Salary Is 3000-6000 USD Per Month.

(iv) 3rd Engineer: He Is In-charge Of Auxiliary Engine And Marine Boilers In Engine Room. His Average Salary Per Month Is 4,000- 6,000 USD Per Month.

(v) 4th Engineer: He Is In-charge Of Purifier, Compressor And Bunker(Fuel Oil And Lub Oil). His Average Salary Is 1,600-3,000 USD Per Month.

(vi) 5th Engineer/Trainee Marine Engineer: He Is Trainee Onboard, Assists Is All Operations. His Average Salary Is 300-1000 USD Per Month.

(vii)Engine Fitter: He Is An Engine Rating, Who Handles Welding, Gas Cutting And Other Maintenance Works. His Average Salary Is 1400-2000 USD Per Month.

(viii) Motorman/Oiler: Motorman Is An Engine Rating, Who Assists Duty Engineers In Their Job. His Average Salary Is 1,200-1,800 USD Per Month.

(ix) Wiper:  Is A Junior/Trainee Engine Rating Who Assist Engineer Officers In All Their Works And Also Do General Cleaning Of Engine Spaces. His Average Salary Is 300-500 USD Per Month.

Galley Department:
(i) Chief Cook: He Is The Head Cook Of The Ship. His Average Salary Is 1500-2000 USD Per Month.

(ii) GS/Steward: He Is The Helper To Cheif Cook And Works As General Service On Board. His Salary Is 500-1000 USD Per Month.
NOTE: All The Salary Mentioned Is Only During The Contract Period Of A Person, Which May Vary From 4 To 8 Months, From Seniors To Juniors. Ranks And Salary May Differ For Company And Type Of Ship.

Q.5 How To Join Merchant Navy?
Ans: For Becoming A Deck/Navigating Officer You Have To Undergo A 3 Year B.Sc In Nautical Science, Or 1 Years Diploma In Nautical Science(DNS) Course In INDIA. The Difference Between The Two Courses Is That  For 2nd Mate Promotional/competency Exams, Eligibility Criteria For DNS Is 18 Months And For B.Sc Its 12 Months Sea Service . Also, DNS Has To Appear For Written Whereas For B.Sc, Written Is Exempted Only Oral Is To Be Cleared.  After Clearing B.Sc/D.N.S You Can Join The Ship As Deck Cadet.The Deck Officers, Are Responsible For The Effective Management Of The Deck Department Including Safe Navigation Of The Ship, Loading And Discharging Of Cargo, Up Keeping And Maintenance Of Ship Safety Of Men And Material Onboard And Observance Of The National Codes Of Conduct Under Merchant Shipping Act An Rules Thereof. After Successful Completion Of BSc. ( Nautical Science) Degree From Any Institute, Deck Cadet Is Require To Put In One Year Sea Going Services Onboard A Merchant Ship To Be Eligible To Appear For The Certificate Of Competency As Second Mate, The Officer Is Eligible For Appointed As 3rd Officer/2nd Officer As Per Their Experience.. For Further Promotion As Chief Officer /Master He Has To Pass Examination Of Chief Mate/Master Respectively After Completing Required Sea Going Service. Master Is The Highest Rank Onboard Achieved In The Deck Department.

For Becoming A Marine Engineer You Have To Undergo A  4 Year B.Tech In Marine Engineering Course Or 1 Year Graduate Marine Engineering (GME) Course After Completing B.Tech In Mechanical Engineering. A Diploma In Marine Engineering Can Also Be Done But The Person Will Have To Appear For Part A Competency Exams, Other Courses Are Exempted From Part A. After Marine Engineering/GME You Can Join The Ship As 5th Engineer/TME And Excel Further In Engine Department. In Engine Department, Cadets After Completing 4 Year Degree Course In Marine Engineering /One Year GME Course After 4 Year B.Tec In Mechanical Engineering , Go For 6 Months Training On Board On Any Merchant Vessel To Be Eligible To Appear For MEO Class IV Exam. After Completing This Exam They Join The Ship As 4th Engineer/3rd Engineer. For Further Promotion As 2nd Engineer/Chief Engineer They Have To Clear MEO Class II/ MEO Class I Exams Respectively. Chief Engineer Is The Highest Rank In Engineering Discipline On Board Ship.

For Becoming A Rating On Board, You Have To Undergo A 1 Year GP Rating Course And For Galley Dept. A Diploma Has To Be Done.

Q.6  Which Colleges Provide These Courses And Mode Of Application?
Ans:  Most Of The Colleges Take Admission Through IMU-CET (Indian Maritime University), Top Colleges In This List Are:
I) Marine Engineering & Research Institute (MERI), Kolkata.
Ii) Marine Engineering & Research Institute (MERI),Mumbai.
Iii) T.S. Chanakya, Mumbai.
Iv) IMU, Chennai.

Other Good Colleges Are:
I)  Samudra Institute Of Maritime Studies(SIMS), Pune.
Ii)  Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune.
Iii)  R.L. College, Madurai.
Iv) VELS College, Chennai.
V) HIMT, Chennai.

Career In Merchant Navy

After completed  senior secondary school (class 12th) you can make your carrier in a merchant navy  under various categories.

To join as a deck officer

1. BSc nautical science (3 years)
2. Diploma in nautical science( leads to a bsc nautical science)  1 year
 

To join as a engineer

1.    BE/B tech in marine engineering (4 years)
 

To join as a rating after class X or XII

1.    Pre sea GP rating courses (6 month)
 

To join in the catering department after class X or XII

1. Maritime catering courses (6 months)
2. BSC in Marine Catering (3 years)
 
 
Earlier these courses would be Affiliated to different universities across India having different Exams and Eligibility Criteria. Now most of the courses have come under Indian Maritime University (IMU) . The important dates  and  process of  admission for these courses can be found out in official website of IMU. For more details click on http://www.imu.edu.in/
 
On Rank basis of the IMU CET you can get admission into the various campuses and its affiliated institutions.

Eligibility to join the merchant navy

 
 
AGE: minimum age 17 years and the maximum is 25 years for examination pertaining to the Merchant Navy. As per government rules the maximum age relaxation for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) is 5 years.
 
PHYSICAL FITTNESS : Physical Fitness is important for a Carrier at Sea.
 
Eye sight:  6/12 in each eye or 6/9 in better eye and 6/18 in other eye for distant unaided vision.
Note: colour blindness in any circumstances  is not permitted.
 
 
For more details  mail me at info@marinelookout.com 

Hard Work Is Always Rewarding. Though Some Sailors Beleive That Its A Thankless Job, Your Possitive Attitude Towards This Profession Will Always Be Pleasing And Satisfying While Working Onboard. Here Are The 10 Points That Can Make You A Better Performer Onboard.
1) Work Is Worship: A Ship Is Never As Same As Land, Where You Have The Leneiancy Of Having A Job Let Go For The Day If Time Doesnt Permit. On Board The Job Has To Be Done In Stipulated Time As Every Single Job Can Affect The Proper Functioning Of Ship And Its Machinery. Hence Work Is Worship Onboard.

2) Follow The Strict Company Policies:  During Company Mentoring We Are Being Made Aware Of Stringent Rules And Regulations That Govern The Seas. Companies Are Very Strict With Their Policies. Say For Example If A Company Has A Zero Alcohol Policy,and In A Random Alcohol Test You Are Found Guilty, Company Is Not Going To Spare You.

3) Follow IMO Regulations Such As MARPOL Strictly: Marpol Regulations These Days Is Very Strictly Followed Onboard. Every Ship Is Surveyed At Regular Intervals For Being Compliant With Marpol, Solas And Other Regulations Laid By Governing Authorities Like Flag State, Classification Society. Be Very Careful With Not Violatong These Rules, Even If You Are Told To Do So.

4) Do Not Get Involved In Petty Disputes: Keep A Calm Head Onboard, Because Everyone There Is Away From Family And Devoid Of A Lot Of Benefits Available On Land. So People Tend To Be Stressed Out, Have Fun But Dont Make Fun Of People, Try To Be Coordial And Supportive To Everyone. Respect Others And Their Job Even If They Are Junior To You. 

5) Professionalism Should Be Maintained: As Onboard Our Workplace Is Just One Or Twp Floors Away From Our Homes I.e Cabins Where We Stay. So People Tend To Get Over Friendly At Workplace Also. One Thing People Should Keep In Mind, At Workplace The Most Important Thing Is Work And Has To Be Done In A Professional Way With Everyone Having A Coordial But Professional Relationship. Away From Engine Room, Deck Or Bridge, You Can Be As Friendly With Anyone As Much You Want To.

6) Think Positive And Never Underestimate Your Profession: Its Very Difficult Sometimes To Maintain Your Cool, But At Times When You Weak At Heart, Remember Tough Times Make Tough Men/women. The Kind Of Work And Atmosphere You Are Subjected To Might Make You Feel Stressed, However Keep One Thing In Mind, The Experience Is Not Going In Vain, Someday You Are To Reap Benefits From These Days.

7) Keep Yourself Involved: Many A Times Onboard Apart From Work You Have No Work, As You Know All Work And No Play Makes Jack A Dull Boy, So Is The Case. Make The Most Of Your Free Time, Talk To People, Express Yourself.Make Good Friends Who Are Not Only Friend Sfor Ship But Are Connected Even When You Sign Off. Dont Just Waste Time On Your Laptop In Cabin. Come Out, Take A Stroll On The Deck, Watch The Sea, The Weather, The Sky.
If Possible Watch Movies In The Lounge With People, Which Can Develop Social Bonding.

8) Greet People When You See Them And Be Cheerful: Most Of The People Feel Stressed At One Time Or The Other,so A Smile Can Work Wonders,whenever You See A Person Greet Him Be He Your Senior Or Junior,even If He Doesnt. Be Cheerful As People Will Feel Happy Around You.

9) Be Very Watchful Of Your Progress Onboard: Your Seniors Onboard Keep Watching Your Work And Your Attitude, Even If They Find You Are Incompetent They Wont Generally Tell You. So Better Would If You Yourself Make An Habit Of Cross Examing Yourself. You Can Do That By Making A Do List Of Jobs You Have To Do And Crosschecking At An Interval So That You Know How Much Have You Actually Learnt. 

10) Dont Expect Anyone To Be Your Teacher: No Body On Ship Is Being Paid To Train Others,they Do It Out Of Courtesy And Somebody Else Did It For Them. However, Many A Times You Will Have To Teach Yourself. Find Manuals Onboard And Throughly Go Through Them. Learn Things And Give Your Inputs While The Job Is Done. Your Motto Onboard Should Be Learning By Reading And Then By Doing. 

These Are The Reason Why You Should Be Proud To Be In Merchant Navy?

1. Financial Freedom: Merchant Navy Is Such A Profession Where You Can Avail Most Of The Happiness That Money Can Buy.  Salary Paid In Merchant Navy Is Higher Than Paid On Land To A Person On The Same Scale.

2. Exploring The World: Yes, It’s True We Go Around The World. All The Major Sea Routes, Major Ports Are Being Touched By Sailors. Sometimes, We Go To Ports Those You Cannot Fly To, Thus The Local Culture Which Is Pure And Untouched Is Reveled By Us. Hence, We See The World Not With Eyes Of A Traveler But The Eyes Of A Sailor. Ask Any Sailor And He Would Have Numerous Stories About This City In That Country.

3. Vacation:  A Sailor Gets To Choose The Duration Of His Vacation. According To Our Personal And Family Needs We Can Extend The Vacation, Because A Fresh Contract Needs To Be Signed Each Time We Join Vessel.

4. Value Of Family: A Mariner Has To Sail On High Seas, Gets To See The Whole World But Our Heart Is At Our Home, Every Sailor Wants His Contract  to End Soon, So That We Get Reunited With Our Family. 

5. Value Of Money: We Work Very Hard On Board, The Conditions Are Said To Be One Of The Toughest In The World, Hence The Wages We Earn Are Very Hard Earned. We Know The Value Of It, We Might Spend Lavishly Sometimes, But That’s Because We Need To Show Ourselves That Man Look What You Have Earned With Your Hard Work.

How To Apply For DCE(Document Of Endorsement) Level 1(Basic)

1. You Need To Have A Valid Seafarer Profile At Dgshipping, Egovernamce Page.
2. You Need To Login Into That Page I.e Esamudra, With Your Indos No. Which Is Your User Id And Your Password.
3. Go To Apply DCE Online Link Which Is Clearly Visible On The Page.
4. When You Enter You Will Find Your Personal Details Already Registered Through Your Profile.
5. You Need To Select Your MMD On Which You Are Going To Apply You Can Apply To Any MMD Of Your Choice.
6. You Will Enter Your Details If You Have COC, Then Your Address Of Residence. Make Sure Its Correct Because If You Select By Post Delivery. DCE Will Be Delivered To This Address.
7. You Will Now Be Able To Generate An Application No. For Your DCE.
8. You Will Have To Pay 3000 INR As Fees.
9. When The Fee Is Paid, Cross Examine Your Application Form.
10. Now Take A Print Out Of That Form.
11.Go To Home Page Now, It Will Have An Icon Named COC  status, Document Upload.
12. When You Enter This Page, You Will Find A Page Where You Will Be Asked To Upload Documents.
13. For A New DCE You Will Have To Upload A Passport Size 3.5cm*3.5 Cm Photograph In .jpg Format.
14. A Scan Copy Of Your Signature Preferably 3.5cm *1.5cm In .jpg Format.
15. A Scan Copy Of Your Documents For Modular Courses Namely Basic Familiarization Course In Oil/Chemical, Advance Fire Fighting & Its Refresher. All These Modular Courses Have To Be Scanned As A Single Document In Pdf Format.
16. A Scan Copy Of The Generated Online Application Form Bearing The Place And Signature Of The Applicant On It.
17. After All The Documents Are Uploaded, Your Status Of Application Will Show Under Process.
18. Generally All The Applications For The Day Are Reviewed In The First Half  i.e. By 12 Noon. 
19. If They Find Any Problem With Documents Or Anything They Will Put A Query Quoting The Problem.
20. If Need Be You Will Have To Re Upload Your Documents.
21. If They Find Everything All Right Your Status Will Be Verified.
22. Within A Week's Time, Your DCE (Document Of Endorsement For Oil And Chemical Tankers) Will Be Delivered To The Given Address.