Merchant Navy Salary Break Up

Ports are essential for trade as most countries in the world are surrounded by water. Maritime trade is essential for any country’s growth. It is estimated that around 7% of the mariners belong to the Indian nationality. The vessels or ships used for trade consist of crew members, a captain, and other merchant navy officers.

Merchant navy officers are responsible for transporting people and cargo safely through sea routes meant for trade. To become a merchant navy officer, one needs to complete a Marine Engineering course. Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in Nautical Science are also eligible for this post. Also, there are other posts that candidates can apply for as per their educational background and interests.

The crux of this article is to let aspiring candidates know about the salary of the merchant navy for different posts. It also includes information about Indian navy salary and merchant navy salary after the 12th and 10th. Those willing to work in the merchant navy can go through the below sections to be well-informed about the different posts and merchant navy salaries in India.

Job Profiles In Merchant Navy

Let’s go through the job profile and the merchant navy salary applicable for each position:

1. Trainee Cadet

• A trainee cadet is in charge of the duties of a deck officer. These duties include maintaining navigational watches, cargo loading, cargo discharging, planning a passage, and more.
• Trainee cadets are also responsible for maintaining communication and ship stability. Their average merchant navy salary is around Rs. 10,20,000 per annum. 

2. Deck Cadet

• Deck cadets are in charge of responsibilities like maintaining ships, making life-saving essentials available on the ship, driving the ship, etc.
• They also plan the ship voyage and are often referred to as deck officers. Deck cadets earn up to Rs. 14,00,000 per year.

3. Chief Officer

• Cargo loading, cargo unloading, undertaking navigation wary duty, managing other cargo operations, and other responsibilities are assigned to the Chief Officer.
• The salary of merchant navy officers is around Rs. 72,00,000 per annum. They are also responsible for ensuring the safety of onboard crew and passengers.

4. Captain

• A captain in command of the entire ship. Any legal issues that occur during maritime operations are to be handled by the captain.
• He also controls daily transactions associated with maritime operations. A captain’s average salary in the merchant navy is around Rs. 2,40,00,000 per annum.

5. Engineer

• Maritime engineers look after the maintenance work of the ship. They also maintain the operational efficiency of the maritime equipment. The engine room is also maintained by them.
• Due to the nature of their duties, they must always be aware of the ship’s condition. The merchant navy salary for engineers is around Rs. 50,00,000 per year. 

6. Catering & Hospitality Crew

• The catering and hospitality crew members handle the catering department. They are also responsible for taking care of the guests by handling their food and beverage requirements.
• The crew members also need to store the essentials required to cook food during the operations. Their average annual salary is around Rs. 24,00,000 per year. 

How to Join the Merchant Navy?

Aspirants can either join as deck cadets or as an engineer in the merchant navy. The details for the same are explained below:

1. Joining as a Deck Cadet

The following process can be followed to join the merchant navy as a deck cadet:

• To be a deck cadet i.e. navigating officer, the aspirants must complete courses like BSc. in Nautical Science, Marine Catering, and Marine Science.
• Interested candidates should have taken PCM (Physics, Chemistry, and Maths) subjects in Class 12th to apply for any of these courses.
• Also, they must clear the entrance tests like JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) and IMU (Indian Maritime University) CET.
• After completing the course, they must undergo 1-year of pre-sea training in a reputed Maritime Institute. It is compulsory training that is not provided during the graduation years.
• Once they complete this training, they are deployed on an 18-month training period on ships. A stipend between 15 to 40 thousand is provided during this period.
• Upon completing this training, they become eligible for competitive exams held by GOI. After clearing this exam, they can join in the capacity of a third officer on a ship.
• They can keep appearing in these exams and try to move to higher positions. The highest position and highest merchant navy salary per month in India is provided to the ship’s captain.

Some of the noteworthy colleges and institutes where candidates can complete graduation or diploma in nautical science are given below:

1. HIMT College (Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training)
2. Tolani Maritime Institute
3. Anglo-Eastern Maritime Academy
4. Applied Research International School of Maritime Studies
5. Great Eastern Institute of Maritime Studies

2. Joining as a Merchant Navy Engineer

The following procedure can be followed to join the merchant navy as an engineer:

• To work in the capacity of a merchant navy engineer, the aspirants can join as junior engineers. For that, they must complete any of these degrees:
  1. Marine Engineering
  2. Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering
  3. Mechanical Engineering
  4. Harbour & Ocean Engineering
  5. Petroleum Engineering
  6. Civil Engineering
  7. Electrical & Electronics Engineering
• After completing their degrees, the candidates must complete one year of pre-sea training.
• Finally, after completing the on-ship training of 6 months, they can give competitive exams to work as a fourth engineer on the ships.
• They can eventually move up to higher positions like Chief Engineer, 3rd, and 2nd Engineer by clearing the competitive exams in the future.

Merchant Navy Salary in India for All Ranks

The merchant navy salary for all ranks in India is explained in the below table:

Merchant Navy Salary After 12th Class

The monthly merchant navy salary after the 12th class ranges from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 80,000. To be eligible for this salary, the aspirants must first clear 12th Class and hold a minimum aggregate mark of 60% in the PCM group.

The age of candidates must be between 17 to 25 years. Also, they must complete a pre-sea nautical diploma after course completion. Their salary will increase as they gain experience and clear the internal exams.

Also explore more jobs after 12th in India.

Merchant Navy Salary After 10th Class

The monthly merchant navy salary after the 10th class ranges from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 depending upon their pay scale and achievements. The candidates who have scored at least 40% marks in their 10th class are eligible for the GP training course. After application, they need to go through multiple physical and mental tests to be selected for this course.

After that, they must complete a pre-sea course of 6 months after which they get selected for engine rating or deck rating positions.

Finally, they can start working on the ship and after gaining 36 months of experience, they can apply for the position of an officer by giving the 2nd Mate Exam. To secure higher posts, they need to clear written and oral exams held by the department.

Merchant Navy Salary for 2nd Officer

The merchant navy salary for 2nd officers tends to increase as the candidates move to higher positions and gain experience. The details regarding merchant navy salary for 2nd officer are explained through the below points:

• On average, the 2nd officers earn up to Rs. 3,40,000 per month. Their salary varies as per their experience, shipping company, and type of ship on which they have been posted.
• 2nd officers control the navigation of ships through radar, GPS, and other technologies. Their duties include monitoring daily weather reports and listening to weather broadcasts.
• These officers are also selected for a training scheme in which they need to study in a college offering nautical courses and gain practical experience.
• After going through these procedures, they are bestowed with MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) Certificate. The officers who have higher education credentials may be exempt from going through these training stages.
• Their average yearly salary by their experience is given in the below table:

Merchant Navy Salary For 3rd Officer

The merchant navy salary for a 3rd officer varies as per the shipping company and type of ships on which they work. Some important details regarding their salary are explained below:

• The average monthly salary for 3rd officers ranges from Rs. 4,00,000 to Rs. 8,00,000.
• Their key duties include taking care of the crew and monitoring whether or not they fulfil their responsibilities. They also need to take care of the fuel, machinery and equipment used on the ships, technical operations, etc.
• After completing the training period, they get an MCA certificate. The training mostly happens during the time of their duty.
• Acquiring further MCA qualifications and gaining practical experience can increase their merchant navy salary gradually. They are bestowed with better job opportunities and senior roles after acquiring these certifications.

The average monthly salary of a 3rd officer according to their experience is detailed below:

Difference Between Armed Navy & Merchant Navy

Some candidates get confused between the armed navy and merchant navy positions and duties. The armed navy is responsible for maintaining the security of our borders whereas the merchant navy is responsible for handling the maritime trade. The former is associated with national security whereas the latter is associated with commercial shipping.

Though there are some similarities when it comes to duties like controlling the watches, maintaining the ship equipment, etc. the armed navy and merchant navy salaries vary greatly.

The Indian navy salary also includes a stipend of up to Rs.15,000 during the training period. The armed navy officer posts are listed below:

• Sub Lieutenant
• Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander
• Commander
• Captain
• Commander
• Captain
• Commodore
• Rear Admiral
• Vice Admiral
• Admiral
• Admiral of the fleet

The common merchant navy ranks are mentioned below:

• Deck Cadet
• Third Officer
• Second Officer
• Chief Officer
• Trainee Ordinary Seaman
• Ordinary Seaman
• Able Seaman
• Fitter/Welder
• Bosun

The Indian navy prepares the candidates to combat and train using naval boats and ships. It builds a naval force that secures the borders of the country from external forces and threats.

The merchant navy officers don’t have to be trained in combat. Their prime duty is to plan the voyage and take care of the crew, cargo, and passengers.

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