Career opportunities in Merchant Navy

Updated On: 01-Feb-2024

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The Merchant Navy

As the name suggests, “Merchant” means business, so the Merchant Navy helps in business across continents or countries. In simple words, we can define the Merchant Navy as "a fleet of commercial ships that can not be used for military purposes."

The Merchant Navy makes business possible between continents or countries. They carry the cargoes and sometimes passengers too across the countries through the sea routes. The globalization of business is only possible because of this industry.

The shipping industry changed in many ways as compared to its old days. Now they travel on massive cargo ships that are equipped with modern advanced technology systems.

The professionals who work on the ships are called mariners or sailors or seafarers or seamen.

The Career Opportunities Offered by Merchant Navy

If you talk about career opportunities, this industry offers a wide range of career opportunities not only on ships but on land as well. But remember, most jobs in this industry require specialized knowledge, skills, training, and physical and mental strength.

The work at the ship can be divided into three areas:

The Deck
The Engine
The Service Department

So, if you are thinking of joining the Merchant Navy, first you need to decide which department you want to join.

The Deck

If you are planning to join the deck department then a degree in nautical science can help you. After completion of the course, you will join as a Trainee or deck cadet. As you gain experience, you move ahead in ranking.

The main ranks in the Deck department are:

The captain
Chief Officer
Second Officer
Third Officer
Trainee / Deck Cadet

Roles and Responsibilities at different rankings:

The Captain

The captain is at the top ranking in the Deck Department, but the captain is at the highest position on the ship and is above everyone on board. The total responsibility of the ship, cargo, and crew is on his/her shoulders.

The chief officer

The chief officer’s responsibility is to assign duties to other officers in the department. His/her responsibilities also include overlooking all deck operations and supervising the crew for a smooth and efficient workflow.

The second officer

The second officer is also called the watchkeeping officer and he/she is mainly responsible for the navigational operations of the ship.

The third officer

His/her main responsibilities include upkeep and maintenance of all firefighting appliances (FFA) and life-saving appliances (LSA) on a ship. He/she is also responsible for all port documents required by the captain and for managing the bond store.

The Deck Cadet

As he/she is a trainee, his/her main job is to learn as much as possible. Normally, he must assist the chief officer, but the chief officer can assign other tasks too.

The Engine

If you are planning to join the engine department then a course (degree/diploma) in Marine Engineering can help you. After completion of the course, you will join as a Trainee or fifth engineer and then move ahead in ranking as you gain experience.

Total rankings in the engine department are:

Chief Engineer
Second Engineer
Third Engineer
Fourth Engineer
Trainee / Fifth Engineer

Roles and Responsibilities at different ranking:

Chief Engineer

The chief engineer is the head of the department, and their job is to decide and allocate the jobs to the 2nd Engineer, who further distributes them among others.

Second Engineer

The second engineer is responsible for delegating the duties to other engineers and monitoring them. The second engineer is also responsible for the operation and maintenance of the main engine, boilers and steam system, steering gear, ship safety systems, and other equipment.

Third Engineer

The main responsibilities of the 3rd engineer are to take care of auxiliary engines, pumps, freshwater generators, air conditioning, refrigeration system, etc.

Fourth Engineer

The fourth engineer is responsible for fuel and lube oil purifiers, air compressors, bunkering operations, etc.

Trainee / Fifth Engineer

As the third engineer is a trainee, his/her main job is to assist other engineers and learn as much as possible.

The Service Department / Ratings

Apart from the engineers and the officers in the deck department, the ship required supporting staff that would assist the officers and does other important tasks on the ship. All these jobs fall under this department.

Support staff for the engineers:

Fitter
Wiper
Motorman

Support staff for the deck department:

Able Seaman
Bosun
Ordinary Seaman
Fitter

The following jobs are also available in this department:

The steward
Chief Cook

Roles and responsibilities

Bosun

Bosun is the head of the crew and supervises them. He also plays the role of spokesperson between the crew and the chief officer.

Able-bodied seaman

Chipping, Painting, and Cleaning are a few jobs that are performed by Able-bodied seamen. After having a good experience in this role, they can be promoted to the Bosun position.

Ordinary Seaman

The ordinary seaman assists the AB or Bosun in their jobs.

Motorman

The motorman plays the role of assistant of the watch-keeping officer by taking the reading of various machines. He/she also assists the engineers in maintenance jobs.

Fitter

The fitter is the expert who performs the tasks like welding, gas cutting, grinding, operating lathe machines, etc. He/she plays the role of assistant in the engine room and performs the assigned task.

Wiper

The wiper works in the engine room and works as directed by the 2nd engineer.

Pros and Cons of a career in the Merchant Navy

Pros

1. High salary
2. High savings too
3. Travel around the world
4. Challenging and adventurous life

Cons

1. Limited Social Life
2. Harsh work conditions
3. Regular Examinations
4. Lot of struggles in the beginning

Requirements to join the merchant navy

The job in the merchant navy is as lucrative and adventurous as difficult to join. It is not a job for everyone.

You need to have the minimum qualification as per the job selected
Need to pass the minimum medical requirements
Physical and mental strength

So, before deciding, do your research about life at sea and working conditions and requirements on the ship. If you think you can handle all those things, then go for it but just don't join it for money only.

Courses:

Top courses that can help you in pursue a career in the Merchant Navy

B.Tech./B.E in marine engineering
B.Sc. / Diploma in Nautical Science
GP rating course after the 10th or 12th

What to choose?

The most important question is what career path should you choose Engine or Deck? Make the decision wisely as per your interests, skills, and education. Read about the jobs and duties of both in detail and then decide what suits you best.

Conclusion

A career in the merchant navy provides you the opportunities to make good earnings, work with cutting-edge technology, and travel around the world. But don't join it just for money only, you need to consider other factors too. It is a physically and mentally challenging job and you must get prepared for it. You must spend a lot of time on the ship with the other staff only, with no family, no friends, no weekends, and no social gatherings.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only. Please note that the details provided for different ranks can vary according to the type of the ship, experience, and knowledge of the person, company policy, decision of the 2nd/chief engineer etc.