How to Become a Merchant Navy

Q: What are the top merchant navy colleges in India?

Top Merchant Navy Colleges are Tolani Maritime Institute, Pune AMET, Chennai, Tamil Nadu , SIMS, Lonavala .

- Salary, Qualification, Skills, Role and Responsibilities

#Merchant mariner
#Merchant Seaman

Who is a Merchant Navy?

A ship in port is safe, but that’s not ships are built for ~ Grace Hopper

A merchant navy officer is a person who works on ships and other commercial vessels on the sea such as cargo, tankers, and passenger ships. A merchant navy officer oversees ships in transaction and ensures their safety and efficient working. An Individual who opts for a career in Merchant Navy can work as a deck officer, engineer, and ratings

In a career as a Merchant Navy, an individual is employed by commercial shipping companies to oversee the transportation of goods across continents and countries. Therefore, a career as a Merchant Navy officer along with his or her crew makes it possible to take goods from one place to the other.

Quick Facts for Merchant Navy

Suitable for
Male, Female, Others

A career as a Merchant Navy officer is suitable for all genders. The Merchant Navy historically has been a bastion for men, but over the past few years, things have changed. With a change in gender roles and the breaking down of stereotypical barriers, women are now entering this field. Gradually, it is becoming a level playing field for both genders.
Any special needs
No

A Merchant Navy officer requires a lot of physical and mental robustness, hence, those who are not physically fit or are specially-abled might not be up to the task. It requires strong eyesight and physical fitness to carry out an everyday task. A candidate with special needs would not be able to perform.

Table of Contents for Merchant Navy

What is the role of Merchant Navy?

Types of a Merchant Navy

What is the workplace/work environment of Merchant Navy like?

How to become a Merchant Navy?

What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Merchant Navy?

Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Merchant Navy?

Career path progression for Merchant Navy

What is the job outlook for Merchant Navy?

Frequently Asked Questions for Merchant Navy

What is the role of Merchant Navy?

A merchant navy officer is responsible for everyone's onboard compliance with rigorous health and safety guidelines, as well as monitoring and maintaining life-saving equipment such as firefighting equipment and life-saving boats. He or she maintains all legal and operational records of the ship, checks the weather, navigates reports, and takes appropriate actions.

The role of the Merchant Navy Officer is to oversee the entire machinery of the ship.
The job description of the Merchant Navy is coordination, which helps reduce disputes, rivalries, losses, delays, and other issues in an organisation.
He or she is responsible to check weather and navigation reports and take appropriate action.
Merchant Navy officers also manage the care and safety of passengers
Merchant Navy Officers supervise the operation and maintain the deck machinery such as winches and cranes.
As a Merchant Navy officer, one is also required to operate and maintain the mechanical and electrical equipment on board.

Types of a Merchant Navy

There are several types of merchant navy officers. They may vary depending on the roles and responsibilities fulfilled by them and the experience and specialisation a candidate holds. We have provided below two major types of merchant navy jobs after the 12th with varying titles and responsibilities.

Deck Officer: A deck officer is also known as a navigation officer. He or she is responsible for making decisions on steering and manoeuvring the ship, controlling navigation and communications. Operating in an executive body liable for ship navigation, strategizing and safe handling, communications, cargo handling, and delivery and the maintenance of all potentially life-saving equipment, a deck officer's position is crucial onboard a cargo ship.

Engineering Officer: An engineering officer is responsible to maintain the machinery of the entire ship or cruise. He or she oversees the operation of propulsion, fuel, and waste systems. Since the ship is made of steel and plies on saltwater, therefore it requires maintenance and time-to-time inspection.

What is the workplace/work environment of Merchant Navy like?

A merchant navy officer is responsible for working under harsh situations. At for certain locations the sea is rough and despite this, merchant navy officers have to work round the clock, to ensure that there is the timely and safe delivery of the cargo. There are good chances that the cold weather conditions can take a heavy toll on the physical conditions of a person.

Does Merchant Navy require travelling?

Likely

Individuals who opt for a career as merchant navy in India are involved in transporting cargo from one place to another, hence there is a lot of travelling involved. In fact, merchant navy officers spend weeks and even months travelling around the globe transporting cargo. Merchant navy officers do dock at ports, but they do not necessarily leave the ship.

Time Pressure

Likely

Individuals who opt for a career as merchant navy have a lot of time pressure is quite high in the profession. A merchant navy officer stays for months at a stretch on the ship. He or she working as merchant navy officers get a compensatory leave allowance for months.

How to become a Merchant Navy?

Steps to become a Merchant Navy

If you love to be around oceans and seas all the time and love to work in the marine field, then a career as a Merchant Navy is the best career option for you. If you are looking for the details of how to become a Merchant Navy in India, we have mentioned below the steps for how to become a Merchant Navy in India or how to become a Merchant Navy after 12th.

Identify Skills
Enrol in formal Training/Course
Get Eligible for Merchant Navy Position
Pursue Specialised Certification
Pass the Medical Fitness Test
Complete Training
Pass Competency Examination & Begin Career

01 Step

Identify Skills

You must have some of the relevant skills to opt for a career as a Merchant Navy. We have mentioned here some of the soft skills and hard skills for how to become a Merchant Navy in India. Some of the soft skills that are required to opt for a career as a Merchant Navy are leadership skills, teamwork and self-control.

Communication Skills
Critical Thinking
Decision-Making
Problem-Solving
Attention to detail
Teamwork

If you are looking to become a Merchant Navy in India then you must also have some hard skills apart from the soft skills mentioned above. Some of the hard skills are knot-tying, cargo operations and CPR and First Aid.

Mathematical Ability
Written Skills
Cargo Operations
CPR and First Aid
Navigational Skills
Knot-Tying

02 Step

Enrol in formal Training/Course

You must enrol in a formal education or training program to become a Merchant Navy. You are required to complete 10+2 in Physics, Mathematics or Chemistry and score at least 60 percent of marks from a recognised board in India. You must be under the age group of 17 to 25 years. Then you must opt for a bachelor’s degree programme by giving an entrance examination.

You can either opt for an entry-level job position after finishing your bachelor’s degree or you can also opt for a master’s course to get higher-level job positions. We have mentioned below how to become a Merchant Navy in India step by step.

Identify your potential/Interest

There are two main job profiles through which you can join a merchant navy either cadet or engineer. Once you have selected which profile you will go for, depending on which you are required to select the qualification.

If you are willing to opt for a Cadet position, you are required to opt for BSc Marine, BSc Nautical Science and BSc Marine Catering.
If you are willing to opt for an Engineer position, you are required to opt for a bachelor's degree in marine engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, petroleum engineering, naval architecture and offshore engineering, harbour & ocean engineering or electrical and electronics engineering.

Entrance Examinations

Bachelor’s Degree Programmes

Master’s Degree Programmes

M.Sc (Bachelor of Science)
M.Tech in Ship Building
M.Sc. in Maritime Science
M.E. in Marine Engineering
M.Tech in Marine Engineering

03 Step

Get Eligible for Merchant Navy Position

To opt for a career as Merchant Navy Position, you are required to be eligible:

You must pass with 50 per cent of marks in English subjects
Your relationship status must be single unmarried at the time of joining, whether you are men or women
Must pass the medical fitness test. You must not have any complication in vision or hearing.
If pursuing a BSc degree, it is compulsory to have 6/6 for each eye
If opting for an engineering course, glasses up to plus or minus 2.5 are acceptable
You must undergo pre-sea training for one year at Maritime Training Institute.

04 Step

Pursue Specialised Certification

You can opt for a specialised certification to gain more subject knowledge and skills to become a Merchant Navy. However it is not a mandatory step, it is completely optional and up to you whether you want to gain some extra knowledge and skills. We have mentioned below some of the specialised certifications for how to become a Merchant Navy in India.

05 Step

Pass the Medical Fitness Test

Once you have completed your bachelor's, pass the medical fitness test and get eligible for the merchant navy position. If you are pursuing a BSc degree, it is compulsory to have 6/6 for each eye and if you are opting for an engineering course, then glasses up to plus or minus 2.5 are permitted.

06 Step

Complete Training

After you have completed your bachelor's degree, you must complete pre-sea training for one year at Maritime Training Institute. It is mandatory that you must complete the 18 months of training and if you are applying for the cadet profile and engineers will complete six months of on-ship training.

07 Step

Pass Competency Examination & Begin Career

After you have completed the sea training, you are now eligible to appear for the competency examination conducted by the government of India. After passing this examination you can join the ship as a third officer, Cadet or Junior Engineer positions and begin your career.

What are the skills and qualities required to become a/an Merchant Navy?

Communication skills
Critical thinking
Leadership
Decision making skills
Teamwork
Self control
Physical strength
Mental strength

How to join the merchant navy after the 12th? In the next section, we will discuss all the possible paths to how to become a merchant navy. We have mentioned below the required skills needed in merchant navy jobs after the 12th.

Leadership: Individuals who opt for a career as a merchant navy should possess good leadership skills, as one day, the officer will become the captain of the ship, and everyone will look up to him or her for taking important decisions and otherwise also. A good leader must be honest, delegate, confident, and should possess a positive outlook towards every problem.

Communication skills: Individuals who opt for a career as a merchant navy work with multiple teams off-shore. It is important to get the right message across so that there are no discrepancies in the future that might result in something unwanted. To make sure that everyone is on the same page effective communication is essential.

Critical thinking: While off-shore problems can arise without a moment’s notice, to steer out of the problem, it is important for a navy officer to have critical thinking skills. As a merchant navy officer, one must be able to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas.

Decision-making skills: While sailing, there will be times when a person will have to make important decisions. Not delaying and taking the correct decision is important. One must be able to select between two or more alternatives to reach the best outcome in the shortest time. The willingness to make an informed decision and stick to that was the pillar of leadership qualities and knowledge.

Teamwork: In a career as a merchant navy, individuals not only work with their own team but also other teams to ensure the safe delivery of the cargo, hence, it is important for a merchant navy officer to be a good team player. As a merchant navy officer, one must be able to combine his or her skills and ideas with co-workers in pursuit of a goal.

Self Control: The life of a merchant navy officer can be rough, especially while sailing. The pressure is immense, hence, it is important for a merchant navy officer to have great self-control. One needs to be emotionally strong and have a sense of duty towards others as well to ensure their safety.

Physical strength: While at sea, a merchant navy officer will be exposed to the natural elements for a prolonged period. The body will take a lot of beating, and in order to sustain that, a merchant navy officer has to be physically fit. Just having the right grades and the passion to have a life at sea will not get one career in the Merchant navy.

Mental Strength: In a career as a merchant navy, individuals are sailing for a prolonged period of time, enduring the natural elements and the pressure of the job. This can continue for months at a stretch, also without seeing land. This can have an adverse effect on those who are mentally not strong enough.

Which certifications and internships can be helpful in becoming Merchant Navy?

Internship Availability

Yes

In order to have a better understanding of a career as a merchant navy officer, it is always important to go for an internship. No matter how many practical learning experiences your college or university provides, you will get real-world experience by working with a company or an organisation. Internships are mandatory in the case of a job as a merchant navy officer.

Career Path Progression for Merchant Navy

What is the job outlook for Merchant Navy?

There is a lot of scope in the merchant navy. There is a huge demand for merchant navy careers around the world. In 2017, the employment count for the merchant navy increased from 1,54,349 to 2,08,799 depicting there’s a huge demand for Indian skills globally. The employment figures on foreign ships went up from 60,194 to 72,327 in 2018. India has created a large capacity in imparting classroom training for the merchant navy.

Frequently Asked Questions for Merchant Navy

Que. Is swimming compulsory for the Merchant Navy?

Ans.

It is not compulsory that swimming must be to join the merchant navy. You must have completed your graduation in B.Sc (Nautical Science) or Marine Engineering from a recognized university.

Que. If family is allowed in the merchant navy?

Ans.

Individuals who opt for a career as a merchant navy can take their family on board ship only if allowed by the company or when all the norms of the company are complied with. Here “family” for a married person means only the wife and kids and not parents.

Que. Is a merchant navy related to defence services?

Ans.

No, the merchant navy is not related to defence services. A merchant navy officer works in the commercial sector of the maritime industry. They perform the shipping of cargo. The people across sea routes aboard cargo ships, tankers and cruise liners.

Que. Are Tattoos allowed in the Merchant Navy?

Ans.

Merchant navy has no restrictions on tattoos and piercings. In fact, sailors are the pioneers of nautical tattoo culture. However, since the maritime academies implement high disciplinary standards and expect officers like qualities, they will be less than friendly to funky piercings and offensive tattoos.

Que. What are the top merchant navy colleges in India?

Ans.

Top Merchant Navy Colleges areTolani Maritime Institute, Pune AMET, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, SIMS, Lonavala.

Questions related to Merchant Navy

Showing 1 out of 1 Questions

1139 Views

name the top most companies of merchant ships!!

Mayank Chowdhary 24th Jul, 2020

Hello,

Here is the list of some top companies

• APM - MAERSK

• MSC - Mediterranean Shipping company

• COSCO - China ocean shipping company

• CMA CGM

• HAPAG - LLOYD

• ONE - One network express

• Evergreen line

• Yang ming marine transport

• Hyundau merchant marine

Thanks

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Did you know?

Fact 1

Merchant navy officers are exempted from giving income tax, provided they meet certain conditions

Fact 2

For several years the shipping industry is considered to be a male dominant force as only 2 per cent are women, seafarers

Fact 3

Japan, Greece, and Germany are the biggest nations with the biggest Merchant Navy in terms of total deadweight tonnage

Fact 4

Around 33 per cent of ship professionals in the world have no means of communication while they are traveling and only 10 per cent have access to the internet

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How to Become a Merchant Navy

Who is a Merchant Navy?

Quick Facts for Merchant Navy

Table of Contents for Merchant Navy

What is the role of Merchant Navy?

Types of a Merchant Navy

What is the workplace/work environment of Merchant Navy like?

Does Merchant Navy require travelling?

Likely

Time Pressure

Likely

How to become a Merchant Navy?

Steps to become a Merchant Navy

Identify Skills

Enrol in formal Training/Course

Get Eligible for Merchant Navy Position

Pursue Specialised Certification