With around 2 million seafarers worldwide accounting for approximately 80% of international trade transport, opportunities abound for those willing to embrace the unique lifestyle offered by this profession. | iStock/ Getty Images
The merchant navy continues to attract individuals who are drawn to life at sea, offering hands-on work, lucrative salaries, and promising long-term career prospects. Indian seafarers have found extensive employment with foreign ship owners, underscoring their skills and reliability in global maritime operations.
Despite the appealing aspects of a maritime career, life at sea is not without its challenges. Long periods away from family and friends can take a toll on personal well-being. However, many find that the financial rewards and job satisfaction outweigh these difficulties.
There are various pathways for entering the merchant navy, each leading to diverse career opportunities both onboard vessels and onshore. A webinar hosted by The Hindu on April 5, 2025, delved deeper into the careers and courses available in this field. The panellists included Captains Daniel J. Joseph, Deputy Director General of Shipping, Government of India; Vinayak Mohla, Head, Cadet Recruitment and competency Management, Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy; Francis Akkara — experts with years of experience in maritime training and shipping management.
The webinar spoke about potential pathways within the merchant navy sector — from engineering roles to navigation positions. It provided information about necessary qualifications such as GME courses or degrees in nautical science. Ships also have a catering department. Depending on the size of the ship and the nature of the ship, it usually has 15 to 25 crew members.
Pre-sea and post-sea courses
The panel discussed three types of maritime training institutions: Pre-sea, Post-sea, and Combined institutions, which offer both courses. Pre-sea courses are long-duration, residential programmes designed for freshers before they begin their careers at sea. These courses prepare candidates for life and work onboard ships.
Post-sea courses include programmes like GP Rating, DNS, BSc Nautical Science, and ETO. These are typically pursued after initial training and help cadets earn their CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate), making them eligible for shipboard placements.
Once a seafarer returns from their time at sea, they can pursue STCW-mandated courses for career advancement. The STCW (Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping) is an international convention that ensures uniformity in maritime training. Completing these courses is essential for progressing to officer-level positions.
Salary structure
The salary structure of all the crew working on these ships is different according to the level of danger involved. Typically a chief engineer or a master on an LNG ship earns anything between $18,000 to $22,000 per month. For an LPG ship, it could be around $14,000. At a dry ship like a container ship it will be $10,000 to $12,000 for a chief engineer, at entry level it could be $2000 to $3,000.
With around 2 million seafarers worldwide accounting for approximately 80% of international trade transport, opportunities abound for those willing to embrace the unique lifestyle offered by this profession.
Published – April 10, 2025 03:03 pm IST