Want to join Merchant Navy? Know how to!

The opportunity to travel overseas lures many people nowadays. The adventurous life and the excitement that it brings along is very appealing in the merchant navy. A commercial shipping industry has a lot to offer if you think you can serve your responsibilities right. The ships and cargo operate worldwide, so the scope in the merchant navy is limitless.

However, you should be aware that the merchant navy is in no way the same to the Indian navy. While the Indian Navy serves the country by providing security, the merchant navy is all about commercialism. It is the backbone of international trade for the country. Since the work in the merchant navy is so widespread, they hire a lot of people and the community is vast. Therefore, merchant navy jobs are in abundance.

Eligibility

• To join the merchant navy, the first and foremost requirement is that you should be from the science background in your high school. Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics are a compulsion.

• You need to be a bachelor to start a career in the merchant navy.

• You need to pass the entrance exam, which involves a screening test as well as a written test.

• The second round is a personal interview and a medical test that needs to be cleared.

• Before you can be employed permanently as a merchant navy officer, you need to undergo a ship-training course.

Departments In Merchant Navy

There are three main departments in the merchant navy from which you can choose;

Deck Department

One of the most crucial responsibilities, the navigation of the ship is in the hands of the deck department. They are also responsible for safe cargo functioning, i.e., loading and unloading, maintenance of the structure of the ship, etc. The different positions that fall under the deck department are as follows

Engineers Department

The engine room of a ship has complex machines that need to have proper functioning at all times. Therefore, for the maintenance of such a critical department, engineers are needed. The engineer’s department is a team of six main engine officers, apart from the supporting crew.

Crew Department

Sailing a ship requires a lot of detailed responsibilities to be taken care of. For instance, navigation, cargo operations, maintenance, everything needs to be taken care of. Therefore, a crew is an integral part. Basically, there are three different departments of the crew, namely, deck crew, engine crew, and galley crew.

Courses For Merchant Navy

There are a few courses that you can enroll in directly after class 12th if you wish to join merchant navy;

• B.E. Marine Engineering

• B.Sc. Nautical Science

• B.Sc. Marine Catering

• B.E. Harbor and Ocean Engineering

• B.E. Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering

• B.E Electronics and Electrical Engineering

• B.E. Petroleum Engineering

• B.E. Civil Engineering

You can also sit for the entrance exam after passing out from the 12th standard. The Indian Maritime University Common Entrance Test and the All India Merchant Navy Exam are the two entrances for joining the merchant navy. The application can be filled online. However, you also need to submit a summary of 100 words stating why you want to join the merchant navy.

Sumedha is a content developer at Receptix. She is a Post Graduate in English and has the penchant for creating a variety of content that is attention-grabbing.