This is a career for men. So far there are no opportunities for women in the merchant navy. There are three distinct areas of activity in the merchant navy - navigation, engineering and radio and wireless communication.

Navigating officers are responsible for the navigation of the ship, the loading and discharge of cargo and the control and safety of the crew, and passengers, if any. The chief navigator of the ship is the Captain, who decides the course of the voyage and manoeuvres the vessel under adverse weather conditions and emergencies. The captain exercises complete control over the officers, crew and any passengers on board the ship. He is assisted in the navigation by other navigating officers.

Marine engineers ensure the smooth and efficient operation of the ship and the maintenance of all electrical and refrigeration machinery and any engineering installations on the ship. The chief engineer is in charge of the engineering department and supervises the work of the engine room. He is assisted by junior engineers and other technical personnel.

Radio officers operate and maintain wireless equipment for receiving and transmitting messages.

In addition to these main areas of activity there is the service department that handles the maintenance of living and catering services for officers and crew on board a ship, divers for underwater examination of the ship, nautical surveyors who prepare topographical charts of particular regions of the sea, and, light keepers who operate signalling equipment to guide the passage of ships, and so on.

There are two routes to joining the merchant navy, Those who have completed a B.Sc in nautical science or a Bachelor's degree in mechanical or marine engineering can join the navigation or marine engineering areas of the merchant navy. On the other hand, those with a 10+2 with physics, chemistry and mathematics can join as deck cadets on board a ship, and train on-the-job for three years before appearing for the competency examination required by the Ministry of Surface Transport in order to be employed as a navigating officer.

The minimum eligibility for courses is Nautical Science as well as Marine Engineering is - 10+2 or equivalent examination, with Physics, Chemistry and Maths.

Those who apply for the degree courses should also be mentally and physically fit. Navigators should have perfect eyesight, whereas marine engineers are allowed to wear spectacles for eyesight upto plus/minus 2.5. Colour blindness is a disqualification for the merchant navy.

After completion of the three-year B.Sc programme in nautical science, candidates have to complete a minimum of two years service at sea before they appear for the Second Mate's examination to obtain a Certificate of Competency of Second Mate given by the Ministry of Surface Transport, required for getting a job on board a merchant ship. The passing-out certificate of the Training Ship ( TS) Chanakya is recognised as being equivalent to one year of sea service. Those who join as Deck Cadets directly with shipping companies have to complete a minimum of three years service at sea, before they can take the examination.

Candidates for the two institutes are selected through the Joint Entrance Examination conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology. The examination is followed by personal interviews and counselling to assess the candidates' suitability for a career in the merchant navy. The two premier institutions for imparting training for the merchant navy are : Training Ship Chanakya (TS Chanakya), Mumbai. Marine Engineering Research Institute (MERI), Calcutta.

Other prominent institutions include :

1. National Institute of Port Management, Chennai.
2. International Institute of Maritime Studies, New Delhi

Hope that helps
CareerAge Counselor