Career in Merchant Navy

The opportunity to travel around the world and the lure of adventure on the high seas, besides the possibility of high remunerations attracts many youngsters to make a career in the Merchant Navy. Merchant Navy is different from the navy in the sense that it offers commercial services, as opposed to the navy, which is largely involved in the defence of a nation.

Merchant Navy is the backbone of international trade, carrying cargo all over the world. The merchant ships employ a huge number of workers to carry and deliver goods from one country to another. Without the merchant navy, much of the import-export business would come to a grinding halt!

A career in the merchant navy is considered a glamorous job, especially by the people who have been bitten by the travel bug. It offers an opportunity to visit new and exotic places all around the globe. Merchant Navy career is not only monetarily rewarding but also satisfying and a quite challenging.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility for joining merchant navy is finishing class 12 with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
Candidates have to be unmarried Indian citizens (male or female).
Normal vision is required but glasses up to plus or minus 2.5 may be allowed.
Admission is through an entrance followed by a screening test and a main written examination.
After clearing the test, there is an interview and a medical test.
You also need to complete a ship-training course prior to the employment. The course is generally short-term where the candidates are taught basic security concerns of voyaging.

There are some private institutes, which offer training for merchant navy as well. These institutes prepare students for jobs such as deck cadets and marine engineering jobs.

How to Join Merchant Navy After 12th

After class 12, you are eligible to study the following merchant navy courses:

B.Sc. Nautical Science
B.E. Marine Engineering
B.E. Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering
B.E. Petroleum Engineering
B.E. Mechanical Engineering
B.E. Harbour & Ocean Engineering
B.E. Civil Engineering
B.E. Electrical & Electronics Engineering
B.Sc. Marine Catering
Electro Technical Officer Course

How to Join Merchant Navy After 10th

Merchant navy courses that you can pursue after 10th include:

Near Coastal Voyage (NCV)
Diploma in Nautical Science (DNS)
Commercial Diving
G.P. Rating

Merchant Navy – Job Prospects

There are enormous employment opportunities in this field. Candidates who have finished the basic course in merchant navy can get jobs very easily through various consultants and placement agencies. Merchant navy fleet consist of cargo ships, container ships, barge carrying ships, tankers, bulk carriers, refrigerators ships, passenger ships, as well as roll off/roll on ships. The possibility of finding employment in cargo ships is more as compared to the others.

Companies that run merchant ships require trained people who can operate and maintain the ships. Some of these companies are: Chevron and Mobil of USA, Wallem Ship Management of Hong Kong, Denholm of UK, K Line, Bibby Ship Management, d’Amico etc. India too has its shipping companies, such as the Shipping Corporation of India, Great Eastern Shipping, Essar and Chowgule Shipping. Trained people are required for the three main departments of the ship: the deck, the engine and the service department.

In India, job opportunities are also available in government and private shipping companies like Shipping Corporation of India, clearing houses, del credere agents etc.

Merchant navy job profiles

Deck officer (navigation officer)
Electro-technical officer (ETO)
Engineer
Ratings – ratings are skilled seafarers who help all the officers with daily tasks
Catering & hospitality crew (pursers, stewards, chef, housekeeper etc.)

Merchant Navy – Pay Package

In Merchant Navy, the salary can range from anywhere between Rs.12000 to Rs.8 lakhs per month though the pay structure differ from company to company, city to city, the export-import needs, seniority etc. All crew members and officers are given free meals on board and senior officers can take along their wives for the voyage.

A Junior Engineer on a ship can earn around Rs. 30,000 per month with free boarding and lodging while signed on board the vessel. The next level is of Second Engineer and finally, Chief Engineer on a ship. As you keep getting promoted, your salary increases substantially. A Chief Engineer at sea earns Rs. 1.5 lakhs per monthor more net of taxes. It takes about 6-7 years for a Junior Engineer Officer to get promoted to the rank of Chief Engineer, depending on individual capabilities and job opportunities available.

A Third Officer’s salary is around Rs. 50,000 per month plus free boarding and lodging while on board.Next levels in increasing order of seniority are Second Officer, a Chief Officer and Captain of a ship. A Captain’s pay package is Rs. 2 lakhs per month or more net of taxes. It takes about 8 years for a Third Officer to get promoted to the rank of Captain, depending on individual capabilities and the job opportunities available.

Besides 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 return imposed on the earnings of a merchant navy professional.

Life in merchant navy can be adventurous for all those with wanderlust. The long periods of solitude notwithstanding, the opportunity to see the world and get paid while doing so, just cannot be argued with.

Merchant Navy Institutes

Indian institutes approved by the Directorate General of Shipping is an attached office of the Ministry of Shipping, Govt. of India and offering courses in merchant navy are:

1	C.V. Raman College of Engineering	Bhubaneswar
2	AMET University	Chennai
3	Balaji Seamen Training Institute	Chennai
4	Chennai School of Ship Management	Chennai
5	Chidambaram Institute of Maritime Technology	Chennai
6	CMC Maritime Academy	Chennai
7	Cosmopolitan Technology of Maritime	Chennai
8	Hindustan Institute Of Maritime Training Post Sea Training Centre	Kilpauk, Chennai
9	HIMT College Hindustan Institute Of Maritime Training Pre-Sea Training Centre	Kalpakkam (Chennai)
10	School of Seamanship and Nautical Technology	Kancheepuram (Tamil Nadu)
11	GKM College of Engineering & Technology	Chennai
12	GKM Institute of Marine Sciences & Technology	Chennai
13	Indian Maritime College	Chennai
14	Indus Seafarers Training Academy	Chennai
15	International Maritime Academy	Chennai
16	Maritime Foundation	Chennai
17	MASSA Maritime Academy	Chennai
18	Indian Maritime University (National Maritime Academy)	Chennai
19	Perunthalaivar Kamarajar Institute of Maritime Science & Engineering	Chidambaram
20	S.B.Vignesh Marine Training Centre	Chennai
21	Southern Academy of Maritime Studies	Chennai
22	School of Maritime Studies (Vels University)	Chennai
23	School of Maritime Studies (Vels University)	Chennai
24	Coimbatore Marine College	Coimbatore
25	Park Maritime Academy	Coimbatore
26	SeaSkills Maritime Academy	Coimbatore
27	Marine Training Academy	Daman
28	Centre for Maritime Education and Training	Dehradun
29	Mumbai Maritime Training Institute	Dehradun
30	Oceanic Maritime Academy	Dehradun
31	Agnel Maritime Academy	Goa
32	Francon’s Marine Academy	Goa
33	Institute of Maritime Studies	Goa
34	Institute of Petroleum Safety, Health & Environment Management	Goa
35	NUSI Maritime Academy	Goa
36	Seascan Marine Services Pvt Ltd	Goa
37	Natcom Education & Research Foundation	Gurgaon
38	Haldia Institute of Maritime Studies & Research	Haldia
39	Anglo Eastern Maritime Academy	Karjat
40	Indian Maritime University (Kandla Campus)	New Kandla
41	Amer Maritime Training Academy	Kanpur
42	Noorul Islam University	Kanyakumari (Tamilnadu)
43	U. V. Patel College of Engineering	Kharva (North Gujarat)
44	MMTI’s Education & Research Trust	Khopoli
45	Mohammed Sathak Engineering College	Kilakarai(Tamilnadu)
46	Cochin Shipyard Limited	Kochi
47	Euro Tech Maritime Academy	Kochi
48	Institute of Marine Engineers (India)	Kochi
49	Indian Maritime University (National Maritime Academy)	Kochi
50	Kunjali Marakkar School of Marine Engineering of Cochin University of Science and Technology.	Kochi
51	Univan Maritime Training Academy	Kochi
52	College of Maritime Studies & Research	Kolkata
53	Garden Reach Ship Builders & Engineers Ltd	Kolkata
54	Indian Maritime University, Kolkata Campus [Indian Institute of Port Management]	Kolkata
55	Kolkata Port Trust	Kolkata
56	Marine Education Charitable Trust	Kolkata
57	Indian Maritime University (MERI)	Kolkata
58	Maritime Academy of India	Kolkata
59	Mercantile Marine Academy Foundation	Kolkata
60	S.E.I. Education Trust	Kolkata
61	Seacom Marine College	Kolkata
62	Sensea Maritime Academy	Kolkata
63	Centre for Maritime Education & Training	Lucknow
64	Subbalakshmi Lakshmipathy College of Science	Madurai
65	RL Institute of Nautical Science	Madurai
66	Mangalore Marine College and Technology	Mangalore
67	J. Sons Merchant Navy Institute	Meerut
68	Anglo Eastern Maritime Training Centre	Mumbai
69	Arya Marine Academy	Mumbai
70	Bonzer Academy of Maritime Studies	Mumbai
71	Don Bosco Normar Maritime Academy	Mumbai
72	Gurship Education Trust Maritime Training Institute	Mumbai
73	Indian Register of Shipping	Mumbai
74	Institute of Marine Engineers (India)	Navi Mumbai
75	International Marine Academy	Mumbai
76	International Maritime Training Centre	Mumbai
77	Indian Maritime University (LBS College of AMS)	Mumbai
78	Mangalore Marine College (MMC) [Mumbai Campus]	Mumbai
79	Indian Maritime University (MERI)	Mumbai
80	Marine Medical Clinic	Mumbai
81	Marine Training Academy	Mumbai
82	Maritime Training Institute	Mumbai
83	Mumbai Maritime Training Institute	Mumbai
84	Mazagon Dock Limited.	Mumbai
85	Naval Maritime Academy West	Mumbai
86	OERC Academy	Mumbai
87	Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies	Mumbai
88	Seafarers Marine Institute	Mumbai
89	School of Synergic Studies	Mumbai
90	SCMS Maritime Training Institute	Mumbai
91	St. Xavier’s Technical Institute	Mumbai
92	Suraksha Marine	Mumbai
93	Tolani Maritime Institute	Mumbai
94	TS Rahaman	Mumbai
95	Univan Maritime Training Academy	Mumbai
96	ABS Industrial Verification (India) Pvt. Ltd.	Navi Mumbai
97	Fleet Management Training Institute	Navi Mumbai
98	BP Marine Academy	Navi Mumbai
99	MASSA Maritime Academy	Navi Mumbai
100	Pentagon Maritime Training & Research Institute	Navi Mumbai
101	Ramana Academy of Maritime Studies	Navi Mumbai
102	Sagar Gyan Academy	Navi Mumbai
103	Setrac College of Offshore Training	Navi Mumbai
104	SNS Maritime Training Institute	Navi Mumbai
105	Indian Maritime University (TS Chanakya)	Navi Mumbai
106	United Marine Academy	Navi Mumbai
107	Yak Management & Marine Education Centre	Navi Mumbai
108	Yak Educational Trust	Navi Mumbai
109	Applied Research International	New Delhi
110	Anglo Eastern Maritime Training Centre	New Delhi
111	Aquatech Institute of Maritime Studies	New Delhi
112	Fosma Maritime Institute and Research Organization	New Delhi
113	Oceans XV Educational Trust	New Delhi
114	Sriram Institute of Marine Studies	New Delhi
115	International Maritime Institute Ltd	Noida
116	Orissa Maritime Academy	Paradip
117	National Inland Navigation Institute	Patna
118	Institute of Marine Education & Research Pvt Ltd	Patna
119	Neotia Institute of Technology, Management and Science	24-Pargans(S) (W.Bengal)
120	Maritime Education Training & Research Institute	24-Pargans(S)(W.Bengal)
121	Trident College of Marine Technology	24-Pargans(S)(W.Bengal)
122	School of Higher Academic and Professional Education	Panchkula (Harayana)
123	Indian Maritime University [Karaikal Campus]	Pundechery
124	Pondicherry Maritime Academy	Puducherry
125	Sri Chakra Maritime College	Puducherry
126	Marine Officers Training Academy	Pondicherry
127	RVS College of Maritime Science and Engineering	Pondicherry
128	Sai Ram Shipping Science Institute	Pondicherry
129	Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Govt. Polytechnique	Port Blair
130	Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies	Pune
131	Maharashtra Academy of Naval Education & Training	Pune
132	Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies	Pune
133	Tolani Maritime Institute	Pune
134	Vishwakarma Maritime Institute	Pune
135	Commander Ali’s Academy of Merchant Navy	Secunderabad
136	Srivenkateshwara College of Engineering	Sriperumbadur (Tamilnadu)
137	Columbus Maritime Training Institute	Thane (Maharashtra)
138	Baba Marine Institute	Thane (Maharashtra)
139	Mariner’s Academy	Thane (Maharashtra)
140	Tamilnadu Maritime Academy	Thoothukudi
141	PSN College of Engineering & Technology	Tirunelveli (T.Nadu)
142	Maritime Training Institute [SCI] Tuticorin Campus	Tuticorin
143	Asha International Institute of Marine Technology	Varanasi
144	Sri Nandhanam Maritime Academy	Vellore (Tamil Nadu)
145	Praveenya Institute of Marine Engineering & Maritime Studies	Visakhapatnam (AP)
146	National Ship Design & Research Centre	Vizianagaram (AP)