| So you want to join the merchant navy as
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| | Croatia, Bangladesh or some other
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| an officer? You've heard all those
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| | country. This variety means that you may
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| stories about being paid to visit foreign
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| | not have much in common with them. You
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| countries, haven't you? What about the
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| | might have to spend time alone in your
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| girl in every port stories? And you must
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| | cabin. Can you handle being by yourself?
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| have been told about the exciting life we
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| | Of course, it might be possible that you
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| sailors lead, right? Are these stories
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| | are lucky and you get along with
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| true? Do you think you have it in you to
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| | everyone, in which case you will enjoy
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| sail the high seas? Well, I am here to
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| | yourself soaking in the various cultures.
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| tell you about the REAL merchant navy -
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| | Or you could be luckier and get to sail
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| some of the stories you've heard are
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| | with a majority of your nationality. It
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| true, some are not. I have been sailing
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| | all depends on the company you work for.
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| for the past 23 years including 8 years
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| | During your leisure time you can watch
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| as Captain so I am giving you an inside
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| | movies, play indoor games (cards, carom
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| view.Before we begin, let me first
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| | etc), work out in the gym (most ships
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| clarify something, the merchant navy
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| | have one) or just relax in your cabin.
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| isn't the same as the Indian navy.
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| | Most companies allow officers to send
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| Merchant ships carry cargo as the name
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| | emails home and receive them. Of course,
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| suggests, we are not the fighting navy.
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| | there are restrictions on the number and
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| The cargo could be containers, oil,
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| | size of emails after all, satellites are
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| passengers, animals, bulk ore etc.So what
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| | used for transmitting/receiving emails.
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| is the big attraction of the merchant
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| | You will get snail mail (conventional
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| navy? Usually two things come to mind -
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| | paper letters) when the ship touches port
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| money and foreign travel. There are other
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| | but usually not more than once a
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| benefits like tax free income, quick
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| | month.Now we come to work. Each type of
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| promotions and an exciting life. But the
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| | ship requires specialised crew. Each
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| money is the main temptation. You get fat
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| | department on board a ship has different
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| pay checks and you don't pay tax (if you
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| | duties - the deck department looks after
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| stay out of the country for more than 6
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| | the navigation and loading / discharging
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| months in a financial year). You start
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| | of cargo while the engine department
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| earning a big salary at a very young age.
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| | looks after maintenance of various
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| To give you an example, the starting
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| | machines. Life on board every ship is not
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| salary for a 22 year old 3rd officer or
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| | the same. Some ships are old so you need
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| 4th engineer (junior most officers on
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| | to work harder to keep them running. Some
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| board ships) on an oil tanker is be more
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| | ships are newer and are easier to work
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| than 1500 $ per month (conservatively
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| | on. Oil tankers, gas carriers need
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| speaking). This amount depends on the
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| | special training and experience.
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| type of ship and the company you join so
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| | Container ships and bulk carriers have
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| don't quote me! Officers normally work on
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| | similarly experienced crew. While at sea,
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| a contract basis. Junior officers do 6 to
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| | officers generally do 4 on 8 off - 4
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| 9 month contracts, while senior officers
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| | hours duty and 8 hours off. This does not
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| do 3 to 6 months on board. Remember that
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| | mean that after you finish your 4 hours
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| you get paid ONLY when you are on board.
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| | of duty, you can go to sleep. No, you
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| So technically, your salary is half of
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| | might have to work on other things like
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| what you are said to get. Why do ship
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| | maintenance of machinery/equipment.
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| owners pay you so much? There has to be a
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| | Normally officers and crew work 10 hour
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| catch, right? The catch is, you stay away
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| | days. This is a general statement and is
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| from home for extended periods of time.
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| | not a hard and fast rule. Work loads
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| In fact you spend most of your time at
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| | increase considerably, when ships are in
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| sea rather than on land. Sure you get to
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| | port. Officers and crew are on watches
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| visit foreign countries but things have
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| | throughout the day and night. There is no
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| changed now. Its not as if you reach a
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| | weekend for them - there is no such thing
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| port and everyone goes ashore.Work
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| | as a public holiday. If one officer falls
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| continues with every officer / crew
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| | sick, then the other officers on board
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| member working in shifts (watches as we
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| | share his duties until he is fit again.
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| call them). You are free to go ashore
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| | Normally ships do not carry doctors on
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| once you have completed your watch but
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| | board unless you are on a passenger ship.
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| don't forget that you have to come back
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| | Ships carry medicines and all officers
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| from your shore leave and work again. So,
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| | are trained for first aid / medical
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| you either sleep or you go ashore. Work
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| | emergencies. Whenever ships touch port,
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| on a ship, never stops. As long as the
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| | medical treatment can be provided
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| ship is doing something - sailing,
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| | ashore.Another aspect to think about is
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| loading / discharging cargo, it's making
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| | the weather. Ships do run into bad
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| money for the ship owner. Port stays have
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| | weather (read storms). Even the biggest
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| gone down considerably so the ship is in
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| | ship is but a toy when up against the
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| port for a short time. Of course, this
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| | fury of the sea. Sea sickness is not
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| depends on the type of ship you are on.
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| | something to be scoffed at. Before you
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| Container ships are in port for a few
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| | take up a career at sea you had better
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| hours (YES few hours), oil tankers for 24
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| | make sure that you don't get sea sick.
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| hrs, cargo ships and bulk carriers stay
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| | Take a trip on a boat to get the feel of
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| longer in port. Watches in port are
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| | things.Right...now you are aware of
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| usually on a 6 on 6 off basis, 6 hours on
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| | various aspects of the merchant navy,
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| duty, 6 hours off duty, and then you are
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| | money, foreign travel, life on board,
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| back to work. Hence you cannot go ashore
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| | work and rest hours, medical facilities,
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| in every port because you need to rest
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| | weather etc. What? You still want to join
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| sometime. The ship owner is paying you to
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| | the merchant navy? Bravo!! We need guys
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| stay on board, not to go ashore! Its not
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| | just like you - guys who join with their
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| all bad news, you do get to go ashore and
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| | eyes open, guys who don't have wrong
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| do some shopping and maybe sight seeing.
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| | ideas about a career at sea. So how do
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| Ports are normally far away from
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| | you go about joining the merchant navy?
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| civilization. Travelling to and fro takes
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| | Information is available on the net. In
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| up time and is not cheap.With visa
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| | addition, you can keep an eye out for
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| restrictions post 9/11, many countries
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| | advertisements in major newspapers.A word
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| will not let you stay back for a holiday
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| | of caution, don't be in a hurry to hand
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| after you complete your tenure on your
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| | over money to some agent who assures you
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| ship. So now you know why the ship owner
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| | of a job at sea. Check his credentials;
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| pays you so much. You are being paid for
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| | check the credentials of the company or
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| staying away from family and home, you
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| | training institution you intend to join.
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| are being paid for long stints at sea and
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| | Preferably, find someone who is already
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| hardly any chance to go ashore. By the
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| | at sea and who can guide you. This is one
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| way, the girl in every port stories you
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| | profession where a mentor is always a
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| have heard is pure myth!!! You will not
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| | good idea.I have been sailing for the
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| get time to meet girls and if you do meet
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| | past 23 years including 8 years as
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| girls then they will be the wrong kind.
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| | Captain. To me the merchant navy is
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| Some companies do allow officers (usually
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| | wonderful. It has given me everything I
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| senior officers) to carry their family
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| | dreamed of and wanted in life. Life on
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| (wife / kids) with them.No problem you
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| | board ships isn't easy but its not as bad
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| say, I can handle everything, just as
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| | as it is made out to be sometimes. As
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| long as I get paid well. That's just
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| | there seem to be a lot of extreme views
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| fine, as long as you are aware of what
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| | on this career, I have tried to give you
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| you are getting into. Expect to work with
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| | the real picture. This is a serious
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| a multinational crew. Expect
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| | profession where you have to work hard
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| multinational cuisine. Expect cultural
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| | and your hard work pays (quite
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| differences, your Captain could be from
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| | literally)!I am a Merchant Navy officer
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| U.K. while the other officers / crew
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| | living in Mumbai.
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| could be from Philippines, India,
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