Maritime Pilot and His Duties

While captains are in-charge of ships, the role of a maritime pilot is equally important. Te duties of maritime pilots are quite different from that of the ship’s captain. As the name suggests, Marine pilots help in manoeuvring ships while arriving or departing a port.

The duties and importance of marine pilot can be explained below

• While the ship’s captain handles the job of navigating the ship in the water, when the situation gets risky or there is any situation which demands greater skill in the manoeuvring of the ship, the ship pilot acts as the person who advises the captain what route to take and what changes need to be made during ship’s routine manoeuvring while entering or leaving a port.

• The role of the pilot increases even further when the size of the ship is taken into account. Ships that carry cargo or are used as oil tankers need the expertise of pilots as they are quite heavy and difficult to manoeuvre. The bulk of the ship makes it important that there is a pilot who can navigate the ship safely without any loss. Marine jobs like that of a marine pilot also help in protecting the marine life and habitat.

• If the entry to a particular port is quite narrow, then the pilot has to be used because it’s the pilot who knows the way and ensure that the boat or ship passes through the narrow gateway without any incident

The maritime pilot, keeping in mind all the above factors is therefore hired locally. The factor of the pilot being local ensures that he is familiar with the water area and thereby is able to guide the ship appropriately.

Maritime Pilot and His Duties

While captains are in-charge of ships, the role of a maritime pilot is equally important. Te duties of maritime pilots are quite different from that of the ship’s captain. As the name suggests, Marine pilots help in manoeuvring ships while arriving or departing a port.

The duties and importance of marine pilot can be explained below

• While the ship’s captain handles the job of navigating the ship in the water, when the situation gets risky or there is any situation which demands greater skill in the manoeuvring of the ship, the ship pilot acts as the person who advises the captain what route to take and what changes need to be made during ship’s routine manoeuvring while entering or leaving a port.

• The role of the pilot increases even further when the size of the ship is taken into account. Ships that carry cargo or are used as oil tankers need the expertise of pilots as they are quite heavy and difficult to manoeuvre. The bulk of the ship makes it important that there is a pilot who can navigate the ship safely without any loss. Marine jobs like that of a marine pilot also help in protecting the marine life and habitat.

• If the entry to a particular port is quite narrow, then the pilot has to be used because it’s the pilot who knows the way and ensure that the boat or ship passes through the narrow gateway without any incident

The maritime pilot, keeping in mind all the above factors is therefore hired locally. The factor of the pilot being local ensures that he is familiar with the water area and thereby is able to guide the ship appropriately.

Marine pilot has to work alongside the ship’s captain and this is why there has to be a good communication between these two professionals. If there is any miscommunication, it could lead to large scale problems for the ship and the shipping company.

In order to become a maritime pilot, a person interested in becoming a pilot needs to get a pilot license. Only if the person has the license, is he allowed to manoeuvre a ship. The license issued to a maritime pilot is specific to the area where the pilot usually works.

The marine pilot however is not a direct employee of the ship. He is like an outside expert hired to oversee ships navigating in the waters. This being the case, it can be said that the marine pilot is not actually a part of the ship’s crew and therefore does not travel along with the crew. He has a special charter craft (pilot boarding vessel) from which he enters the ship that he has to control. This charter craft could either be a helicopter or another boat (Generally the later one is used). He then enters the ship and makes sure that the manoeuvring of the ship is done as required.

There are some ships that do not require the assistance of a marine pilot. Such ships have a certificate known as the ‘pilot exemption certificate.’ The reason that these ships have such a certificate is because they visit limited number of ports and harbours which is why the captain of the ship is more than adequate to handle the ship.

Sometimes not knowing about a profession does not mean that the profession is not important. Marine jobs like that of a marine or harbour pilot is one such profession. It can be said that being a marine pilot offers uniqueness to a person’s choice of career as even though the profession of a marine pilot is relatively unknown, it happens to be one of the oldest professions.

Top 10 Reasons Why Merchant Navy Is Best

1. Top 10 reasons why merchant navy is a great Career option

After completing 10+2 in India, majority of students are not very certain about the career path they need to take. One career option they must consider is Merchant Navy, it has the potential which can supersede other run of the mill career choices. In this article we are sharing the top-10 reasons why merchant navy in India is an awesome career option.
Great Salary package

First thing first, salary is the prime advantage why most of the students take up the career option of Merchant navy. Starting salaries and subsequently fat salary packages as compared to the peers in traditional jobs makes it a very attractive preposition.
Salary remains tax free

Since you don’t station yourself in land for long duration, it gives you a tangential advantage in terms of saving tax. In highest bracket, tax deduction is 30% in general. Merchant Navy is a career option which allows you to save it.
Be a Global traveler

In merchant Navy you travel the whole world at somebody else’s expense. It can’t get better than this. You get time on port where ship is docked to visit the places.
NRI status

As you are a traveler and spend majority of time outside India, it is equivalent to a status of an NRI .
Demand teaches you Professionalism

This is a profession in which sincere importance is given to Professionalism and time. Work ethics has these qualities embedded in it.
Good learning to tackle emergencies

Merchant navy profession teaches you to tackle emergencies, education and experience enables the mind set which helps in developing a mindset which takes quick and wise decision.
Adventure is a synonym

Career in merchant navy has regular adventures to face. This career profession is ideal for candidates who loves adventure and fun in life. If you are of this mindset, it can be the right career path for you which will give you the feeling of work cum pleasure.
Limited qualifications will do

With limited studies as well you can proposer in career. As mentioned in the first point, salaries drawn in Merchant Navy is pretty good and this can be achieved by achieving less demanding qualifications.
Regulated lifestyle

You get a chance to have a great life in sea and in land. You get long vacations every year and that too remains a paid one which allows you to maintain a great life style when you visit you home. You can catch up all the work which is pending also have ample time which can be spent with the family members.
Extended vacation on your own choice

For mariners it is said that it’s a continuous vacation.

To get registered with Top Merchant Navy College in India and placements in merchant navy get in touch with merchantnavy-zone.blogspot.com

Tanker or Container Ship: Which is Better For Seafarers?

Most of the times a seafarer can choose the type of vessel he or she wants to work on. Each type of vessel has its own pros and cons when it comes to working on board.Usually, seafarers are torn between two choices when deciding the type of ship to work on – tanker or dry ship (container, bulk carrier etc.)

For a seafarer, the choice to sail on container or oil tanker ship mainly depends on the following factors:Initial experience on type of ships

• Number of years worked on dry ship or oil tanker
• Availability of certified course required for tankers
• Personal preferences
• Money

We asked some seafarers, who have worked on both tanker (Oil tanker, chemical, gas etc) and dry ships (Container, RO-RO, bulker etc.) regarding factors which they consider for selecting a particular type of ship while joining. We received several interesting answers.

Moreover, we also observed very few people sailing on tankers going back to container ships. Blame is on the better money seafarers on tankers get; but the bottom line is that there are several factors that go through a seafarer’s mind while selecting the type of ship.

On the basis of our brief survey, we have jotted down a few advantages and disadvantages of tanker and container ships from working on board perspective.

DRY SHIPS

It’s a well known fact that dry ships give more port appearances than oil tankers. Those who are fond of going out at ports while the ship visits different countries, a dry ship is the right choice for them. Some container ships touches port every 2-3 days with port stay of at least one day. Same is the case with bulk carriers which has long stay at port. Some bulk carrier stay at port for as long as a month

– Less sailing time at sea, hence less chances of sea sickness for those who are more drawn towards land

– Less riskier than tanker ships (With the type of hazardous cargo tanker ships carry, container ships are considered less risky)

Better communication options on dry ships as ports are frequent. You can buy a local sim card and enjoy talking to your loved ones more often

– Marine engineers have the advantage of not getting involved in cargo operations in ports unlike in tankers

– No ship to ship operation at mid sea. It won’t be prudent to compare the amount of stress seafarers have to go through on both types of ships, but surely a ship-t0-ship operation is an add on responsibility on tanker crew

– Many seafarers feel that (And it’s an accepted rule in the industry) promotions on dry ships are must faster as compared to tanker ships. Many sailing on tankers go back to dry vessels to get promotion and then later on come back to tankers

TANKER SHIPS

Many people choose tanker ships, because there’s much better remuneration as compared to those offered in dry ships. A top level officer on tanker ship roughly earns more than 1.5 times that a dry ship officer at the same level earns. For many seafarers, eventually, it’s all about the money

– Longer sailing as compared to dry ships, hence those who are more comfortable at sea, tankers are the best option for them. As amount of work is more at ports, many seafarers prefer long sailing voyage with less number of ports

–  As highest safety standards are followed on tankers than on dry ships, seafarers feel they are more safe on tankers

– Less cargo operations and maneuvering as compared to dry ships, for the later frequently visit ports

– Slower rate of  promotion

– It has been proved that there are several health hazards related to continuous sailing on tanker ships

– Working on tanker means more savings. When you compare the seafarer contract of a tanker ship to a container ship, the crew working on a container ship will have more access to ports and hence there would be more spending of money

Over to you..

What do you think is better to work on? Tanker ships or Containers?

Let us know in the comments.

The Urgent Need of Proper Vocational Guidance for Maritime Careers

Corporate-style management of maritime institutions and e-governance of flag state offices are not alien concepts. With new trends emerging in Maritime training, a lot needs to be done with the youngsters in India, at the induction level itself, to make them aware, about the true requirements of maritime careers and life aboard merchant navy vessels. A proper vocational guidance would help students to confirm, whether they have the right aptitude and attitude for a particular maritime job, so as to have successful shipping careers.

There is a common complaint from shipping companies, that the new maritime entrants are just not the right material for shipping. This is also borne out by the high attrition rate – the number of fresh entrants getting disillusioned about maritime careers, and eventually quitting shipping. The reason we are not able to retain people in the shipping industry is not the fault of the job itself, but more in the faulty method and manner of selection of students for various maritime careers. A properly planned vocational guidance can help a lot to resolve this issue.

Prospective students, who seek to make their careers in the Merchant Navy, must have the necessary skill sets, in order to survive in the market place, over the long term. Today, the Maritime industry is going through a sea change, just as the rest of the industries worldwide. There is a new economic order, defined by new technology and globalization.  Properly managed vocational guidance centers  at least in the Metro cities, are vital, to face this challenge.

Joining the merchant navy is not a question of coining attention-catching slogans, such as ‘Join the Merchant Navy and see the World’ or ‘Join Merchant and become a Millionaire”. These are, in fact, quite misleading. They give the impression, that a person joining is merely interested in travelling worldwide like a tourist, instead of doing a technical and highly qualified job or following a respectable maritime career. Such advertisements project entirely the wrong picture and attract the wrong set of people. Young students must know about the right things about the Merchant Navy before joining the field.

What is needed is a proper set-up to pick the right people from the sea of prospective candidates. Students seeking maritime careers must be capable of finding out whether they have the required aptitude or not. We need a center manned by competent staff, which will not only guide new entrants with vocational guidance, but will also assess their skills, capabilities and actual suitability, for the various maritime careers on board ship.

Merely having people, knowing all the rules and regulations and the details of the maritime training courses offered, to convey the information to the students, whenever needed, is not at all the idea. This type, the so-called “counselling centers”, already exists.

Existing Counselling centers have proved to be absolutely ineffective, since these places don’t have the means to monitor and assess students, for aptitude as well as attitude, during practical work required for maritime careers.

Just passing IIT style Entrance examinations, where students have to answer several questions in certain time frame, is the most useless and unsuitable sort of system, especially for a practical profession like the Merchant Navy. Such method is only suitable for creating bureaucrats, who have no place among the highly qualified staff, required on modern merchant vessels.

Lately, there has also been a flood of ‘DG approved’ private maritime training institutions, created in the wake of the so-called liberalization  many of which are not even efficiently monitored, let alone properly controlled. Besides being labelled as ‘money-making’ institutions, they have succeeded in giving a bad name to the well-run maritime institutes, in particular, and the entire shipping industry, in general.

A focused and committed body, staffed by dedicated mariners, drawn from the shipping industry itself, could do a much better job at vocational guidance and monitoring maritime institutes, than the present overlapping of various Government agencies, which have proved inadequate in the task of watching over these private institutes. Possibly due to shortage of manpower and inadequate facilities, there is precious little of organised monitoring, leading to an obvious end result – a complete mess of the whole issue. Why this was not thought of, right in the beginning, is difficult to say. Probably, there may have been a fear, that corporatism of this would lead to a conflict of interests.

Misleading Ads to attract students should be banned

We must understand one thing that even any senior mariner, heading this office, is not going to be able to solve all the problems at once, like waving a magic wand. This would simply be a more focused attempt, to tackle the problem in a far more logical fashion, than what is presently being done, which is obviously not good enough.

A proper plan to impart vocational guidance to new students seeking maritime careers is definitely an urgent need of the shipping industry.

Note: This viewpoint could be considered as a fresh effort, to properly guide new entrants, seeking to make their maritime careers, in the Merchant Navy. This will also ensure that our existing Maritime institutes could get a more suitable quality of personnel to train

Family Of A Mariner

Home is where the family is!!!

This indeed is true for all of us, however, only an 'irony' for seafarers!

Each day feels like a week, and a week as a month..

You already feel homesick, when you think the most of it, and isolation keeps you feel nostalgic like a biggest punishment ever.

But there is always a flip-side. What isolation doesn't do, the craving can do better! Craving to go home and to meet family and craving to spend some good time along...

Life at ship is a township floating at the sea disconnected from the other part of the world. This career is full of evaluation, assessment and competitiveness, where a single mistake can become larger than life.

Every individual knows what pressure and limits his career offers. Its certainly not an easy piece of cake at the sea - it can be heaven or it could be hell- its the perspective that changes the way of life.

The maiden journey is a little difficult to deal with, but soon it becomes a routine in the mariner's life.

Usually, it depends on the ship that a mariner travels, how much leaves he gets. It can be a quarter year or even less at times on board and equal 
 off board. Only Second Officer and the posts beyond like Chief Engineer, the Chief Officer and the Captain are allowed to take their families on the ship. Of course you miss your family when on the ship but the advantages are really big to crave enough for 90 days or even lesser sometimes. Ships really pay you big, probably three to four times better than anyone on the land of your cadre. Healthy remuneration is one thing that makes craving a small thing than earning big. Besides, ships takes you to different places all the time it sails. Peaceful long voyages unlike the daily run around job on the land. Freshest air and picturesque sights is what one lives with on the ship.

This lucrative things keep you at peace on the ship.

As mentioned, depending on the vessel or tanker that you are sailing with, decides your paid vacation time. When at home one can be ''really'' at home with the family; unlike the ones at the land. There is absolutely no timelines. Day and nights are ruled by you. They start when you get up and night sets when you decide. All at a paid vacation, like no other job offers.

The Life of 'The' Mariner, indeed, maintains its balance in everything.

When at work, gives one a full reason to justify the work without much exasperation of timelines and when at home just get pleased with the luxury.

7 Problems Seafarers Can Face While Traveling to Foreign Land

If you are a maritime professional or planning to become one, then sooner or later you will have to get used to traveling – an integral part of the shipping profession. Frequent traveling from one country to another to reach destination ports and ships makes lives of maritime professionals physically and mentally stressing. Moreover visiting new countries having different rules, customs, and traditions means dealing with a new set of laws every time.

We all have heard about horrifying stories of seafarers while they were traveling to new countries to join ships. One of the main reasons for such accidents is lack of common sense and inability to take some basic precautions.

The fact is most of these problems can be solved by being a bit aware of the situation you can get into while traveling in foreign lands. Learn about seven common problems seafarers can face while traveling to foreign lands.

Note: Before commencing your journey, ensure that you have checked your shipping contract , appointment letter  and ” OK to Board” letter properly. The contact number of local officer personnel,  foreign agents, and other important people will be issued by the company few days before joining the ship. Make sure that you note them down properly and keep them with you all the time. 

1. Loss of important documents

Losing important documents in a foreign land can be extremely scary. When you are moving outside your native country, official documents are your only identity. It is therefore important to take all necessary precautions to not only avoid loosing them but also to act without panic by keeping a backup with a set of photocopies in case you do lose them. While making sets of photocopies of documents, always keep one pair with your luggage bag and another back at your home. If you are a tech-savvy person (and we wish you are) then you can also scan the documents and put them in your smartphones, tablets, laptops and other electronic gadgets. You can also keep them in a “cloud system” or “google drive” so that they are available from anywhere. There are several apps (both android and iphone) available, which you can take help of, to manage and save your important documents.

In case you lose your documents in foreign land, inform your agent immediately and also file a complain with the local police department. You might also be required to contact your country’s embassy in certain situations.

2. Missing of flights

In order to reach their respective ships or while returning to their home land, seafarers are required to take several connecting flights. Though a good transit time is always provided between the two flights, there have been several cases wherein seafarers have missed their flights because of certain reasons.

In case you miss your flight, immediately approach the airport administration and ask until what time you can stay at the airport. This is because some airports require transit visas after staying for a certain period of time at the airport. Contact your local office personnel of your country to explain them the situation and informing about the transit visas, if required. Most of the time, the officer personnel will be able to arrange an alternative flight or a return flight in case ongoing flights are not available.

3. Luggage stolen or lost

Cases of luggage getting stolen or lost is a common occurrence that can happen with anyone. In case your luggage is stolen/lost, file a complain with the airline and provide details of your foreign agent and shipping office. In case your luggage is found it will be delivered to the agent, who will then hand it over to you. Also, don’t forget to claim “stolen luggage” allowance once you are back on ship. For such unforeseen incidents, always keep a set of clothes in your handbag. You will be needing a fresh pair them until your luggage arrives.

4. Security check problem

Problems during security check at airports are increasing every year. There have been cases registered wherein seafarers were detained and and even jailed for not following the local laws. Visiting new countries means dealing with new laws and cultures. If is very common for seafarer to be not aware of the local laws while visiting or transiting new countries. This often land them in trouble.

As a matter of precaution, ensure that you check the laws of the country you are visiting in order to avoid any kind of trouble (Ask your company/agent). For e.g. Hong Kong does not allow to carry taser or stun guns, even in check-in luggage. Similarly, dubai does not allow carriage of poppy seeds. There have been cases when people have been jailed for long term when found with its possession.

Note: If your transit time is less and the security check is crowded, request the security personnel for a quicker access as you may miss to join your ship. However, never show aggression or anger and always cooperate with the security officers even when you are in hurry. (As being restless and aggressive can lead to further delay because of interrogation, thorough checking etc.

5. No agent to pick you up at airport

There will be times when you reach your destination on time but there is no agent to pick you up or are required to wait for him. In such cases, just wait for the agent before taking any steps. Don’t panic and take a taxi for your destination. 99% of the time the agent will come to pick you up. However, if no one comes to pick you up, call the agent using the contacts you have been provided by the company. Still if you don’t receive no response, call your local office personnel and explain them about the situation. They will arrange a replacement for your agent to pick you up.

Note: Don’t leave the airport premises at any cost. It is always the most secured place in a new country.

6. Immigration problem

The most common problems that are faced during immigration checks are errors in joining, appointment, and “ok to board” letters. Don’t forget to check these documents thoroughly once you are assigned with them. Always keep your seafarer’s documents and passport in good condition as some immigration authorities can create problem if the passport is torn or is stapled or pasted with company sticker.

Note: Always ask you company not to staple or paste any kind of document with your passport.

7. Accidents or injury

These are rare cases but they do occur. Injury or accidents in foreign land can lead to unfortunate situations wherein the authority is not able to identify the victim. Always keep an identity card or a photocopy of the same in your pocket while traveling. Also, note down all the important contact numbers on a piece of paper or diary, along with your name and company details so that the country’s authorities are able to identify you and your purpose of visiting the country in case you are unconscious and not in a condition to talk.

Getting into a problem in a foreign land is extremely dangerous and seafarers must take extra precautions in order to avoid such situations. The above mentioned problems are some of the most common ones that seafarers face while traveling. Do you know any other problem that seafarers can face while traveling to foreign lands? Let us know in the comments below.

Sailor Couple: United By The Strength of Love And The Sea

Contrary to what the cynics say, distance is not for the fearful; it’s for the bold. It’s for those who are willing to spend a lot of time alone in exchange for a little time with the one they love. Such is the story of Arun Shewakramani and Babita Tomar, both officers in the merchant navy, united by the strength of love, their profession and the sea!
The story begins when they first met in 2005 when both got enrolled for the first ‘Dual Cadet Programme’ at AMET, Chennai conducted under the sponsorship of Maersk.
Babita was the only girl in a batch of 220 cadets with the obvious high count of boys in college! Living in the campus accommodation full of men was a scary prospect for Babita requiring adjustments to the new life, and naturally so. She says “I was scared all the time and Arun could sense it; he could see how lonely I felt in the beginning and that’s when he and his friends came forward to help and made me feel that I was not alone and that I had friends who would help and be there for me through the ordeal of settling in”. Subsequently, both of them went out to sea as dual cadets (deck + engine) for their first sail in 2006 as per the programme.
Back in college, it took them almost two years to realize what they felt for each other and that it was more than just infatuation. Babita, beaming with happiness, says “Those two years were magical, like being in a movie! We used to walk together to class and everywhere else, talking about everything under the sun, never mentioning to each other as to how we felt”. It is daunting for two people in love to imagine the distance that would separate them, albeit temporarily, and as hopeful as they were at the time, they didn’t get a chance to sail together for 10 years (since their first time out at sea in 2006) until 2016.

Until 2010 there was no internet on the vessels they sailed on and obviously it was hard to keep the relationship intact, an aspect that was both exhausting and at the same time a test of their love and commitment – ‘adventurous’, as Babita words that time in their lives.

But as the power of love would have it, both being in the same profession rendered them more understanding of the situation and the love fostered. Two people, two different ships, two different parts of the world, different time zones, ridiculous workload and no internet! Hard to keep up and yet they took time out from their busy schedules onboard each and every day to send a mail out to the other, awaiting a reply, sometimes waiting 2-4 days for one – a system seafarers are well aware of. Such was the strength of their relationship that they synchronized their clocks once a week to make those expensive satellite calls to the other vessel. All those years went by planning to sign on and sign off around same time so that they could meet at least twice a year!

Hardship and distance could never take away romance out of their lives. Arun didn’t leave any efforts unturned to make her feel special; like this one time when both were on the same run, the agent came onboard Babita’s vessel upon arrival with a special delivery for her and gave it to her in front of the entire ship staff. Even the agent was impressed with Arun (as we all are) and said that this was the first time he brought a gift for anyone else other than the Captain.

Arun left gifts with the respective agents on every port – a thorough gentleman, Arun clearly has set a lot of goal for men all across the world! As the popular quote goes “Infuse your life with action. Don’t wait for it to happen. Make it happen. Make your own future. Make your own hope. Make your own love. And whatever your beliefs, honour your creator, not by passively waiting for grace to come down from upon high, but by doing what you can to make grace happen… yourself, right now, right down here on Earth.”

2010 brought about internet onboard their vessels, enabling quicker communication via instant messengers. They kept an eye out for each other’s vessel schedule hoping to cross paths out at sea, never giving up hope. And they finally met once in their sailing career of almost 6 years. Says Babita “That feeling of his ship being on the same port is inexplicable. When I found out that his ship was moored just forward of mine, all I could wish was for a bridge that could directly connect me to his ship at that point. Once the vessel was alongside and moored, I ran towards gangway hoping to see him waiting and there he was! I used to feel life would have been easier if at least one of us was on land but when you experience romance at sea, it has its own charm that one cannot get on land”.

Fast forward to 2016 and they had both grown in all aspects of life- career as well as the relationship, and the seas kept them connected no matter which part of the world they were in, sailing or moored. Finally, as fate would have it, they were due to be on the same ship in 2016. He was onboard as a Chief Mate and the existing Second Mate was due to sign off, opening up the prospect of Babita joining as a Second Mate on the same vessel. As luck would have it (along with the crewing division of Maersk), she signed on.

Babita puts special emphasis on this time of theirs together out at sea as being pivotal to their relationship – “We always had different opinions and methods of working onboard as with everyone else. I had often dreamed about working with him onboard and how to find that balance being professional and being my partner. Being his partner I was allowed to get mad whenever we had a disagreement but being a Second Mate I had to respect his orders. Maintaining the balance between work and personal life onboard was not as challenging, as we had thought earlier. It surprises me even today when I think about it how we both understood each other’s work life and how we supported each other professionally. If I was struggling troubleshooting something on the bridge he would help and if he had some pending work I would find time to do it for him. For the first time, we had time to sit and discuss our wedding plans in detail and finalize everything. Work-wise also it was a great experience wherein I could freely ask him questions which I hesitated with while sailing with other Chief Mates. We could debate for topics for during the watch. For once I didn’t look at the clock at the end of my watch! Ports were, even more, fun because either both us went ashore together or he stayed back and took my watch like a gentleman and I went ashore”. All seafarers can understand how liberating it is to have another officer willing to cover for one’s watch so as to go ashore – a very rare occurrence, a luxury few can afford!

After signing off, they got married only to join once again on board the same vessel. Owing to the understanding between the two with regard to their separate personal and professional lives, it did not make things complicated at all. In fact, the ship staff made their lives easier, leaving no chance to drop the joke on who the real boss was now that they were married! Arun, being the Chief Mate, finished his contract in 3 months while Babita’s had to last for 4 months. With the strong desire to spend all the time together, an aspect understandable by anyone who has ever been in love, Arun stayed back onboard as Babita’s spouse on the same ship, waiting it out till they could both sign off together. As Arun rightfully says, “I wish all the sailors could experience being out at sea but no work at all, as this feeling is beyond imagination and explanation.”

He spent most of his time either reading books, playing video games, luxuriously biding quality time till Babita’s sign off. She says, “In the morning he used to wake up early, go to the galley and make fresh tea every day and then wake me up with it. This was the best thing that happened to me and it happened every day; 11 years out at sea and I never had bed tea.”

Going by the account of their love, Arun clearly deserves ‘Husband of The Year’! This is a story that would leave a lot to be desired in terms of romance by all across the world; a story which reaches a whole new level of ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’. If the connection with another person is that powerful, then you absolutely have to forget about conventional logic and go for it. Clearly, the true power of love is immeasurable, able to endure any circumstance and travel across distances. In the age of right and left swipes, these are the accounts that reinforce one’s belief in the profound feeling of true love.

From the entire team at  Merchant Navy Zone, we would like to congratulate both Arun and Babita for being another shining example commitment in our industry. May you have a very happy and long life, both as partners and professionals.

Disclaimer: The authors’ views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of Merchant Navy Zone. Data and charts, if used, in the article have been sourced from available information and have not been authenticated by any statutory authority. The author and Merchant Navy Zone do not claim it to be accurate nor accept any responsibility for the same. The views constitute only the opinions and do not constitute any guidelines or recommendation on any course of action to be followed by the reader.

The article or images cannot be reproduced, copied, shared or used in any form without the permission of the author and Merchant Navy Zone. 

Want to share your story? Write to us at merchantnavyinfo9@gmail.com

What Options Deck Officers Have for Further Studies?

Being a deck officer in merchant navy is an excellent career option with a host of advantages such as the chances to satisfy the wanderlust and get remunerated extremely well for the same.

No matter how attractive it may sound, the career path as a deck officer in merchant navy requires long periods of stay away from home and a rigorous work environment. Life on board ships is not all hunky-dory, for the sea is a mighty force and extremely unpredictable, making the life of seafarers challenging.

It is for these reasons and many others, that an individual, at some point of his or her life, is driven to leave the career at sea and pursue further studies.

Also, some individuals just want to study further and hone themselves academically for personal enhancement. For such deck officers/ seafarers, there comes a point where research into maritime courses for further studies becomes a very hectic affair.

With a recognized undergraduate degree in the arsenal, it is relatively easy for a deck officer to get admission in the desired maritime course, than it is for an individual who has just done his pre-sea  training and gone for sailing on board a vessel.

For most maritime courses pertaining to ‘further’ studies for deck officers, the basic prerequisite is an undergraduate degree. However, there are certain maritime courses that might waive off that requirement based on the experience at sea in the specific department.

Exact entry requirements can be found from the websites of particular colleges providing maritime courses.

Following are some of the maritime courses that have been charted out to help deck officer in Merchant Navy to choose and pursue a program for their further studies:

1. Maritime Law 

Maritime law is one of the most sought out courses by maritime professionals who want to do further studies and become a maritime lawyer. The entire world relies on the shipping industry for a variety of needs and it is thus natural to have so many options with regard to the managerial, legal and organisational aspects of the law.

Owing to the importance of the shipping industry, it is very well known that Maritime Law is a line of work that is in great demand. Most post graduate courses in law require a basic knowledge of law at undergraduate level. However, experience in the field may be deemed as qualification good enough for the respective course. Foundation courses are also in place to get accustomed to the legal studies. An individual may decide to join a law firm and learn the tricks of the trade the hard way, step by step, but an education ensures that the same process is put on a speedy gear.

Institute Providing Maritime Law:

City University, London is an institution that is at the forefront of academic excellence and known for the same all across the world. The Maritime Law course at City University is a very coveted one. Ranked as one of the top Universities in the UK as well as the world, City University London offers a course that is aimed at individuals seeking to pursue a career in Maritime Law. Details of the course can be found here.

This course can also be done in U.S at Tulane University. Tulane University is where all the action is with respect to Admiralty law in the US. This is the only major Maritime Law course in the US and a very rigorous one at that. Details of the course can be found here.

2. Marine Policy 

A post graduate course in Marine policy offers a career as a manager in areas such as international shipping, ports, harbors  or sea trade in either private sector or for government agencies.

Institute Providing Marine Policy Course:

Cardiff University is an excellent University that provides a course in marine policy and is recognized all over the world for an amazing academic environment. Details of the course can be found here.

3. Maritime Affairs

A post graduate course in Maritime affairs is a specialized course which teaches every aspect and changing needs of the maritime industry.

Institute Providing Course in Maritime Affairs:

World Maritime University (WMU) in Sweden is an institution founded by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations. Established in 1993, the WMU is known to be a prime leader in research and excellence in the maritime field. With liaisons in China, WMU is an excellent option for deck officers looking to stay at par with a promising career in the maritime industry. Know more about the course here.

4. MSc in Shipping, Trade & Finance

MSc in shipping, trade and finance deals with the business and commerce of the maritime industry. It is an interesting course for deck officer and maritime professionals who wants to make a mark in the shipping business sector.

Institute Providing Msc in Shipping, Trade & Finance:

The Cass Business School at the City University, London is an extremely prestigious college which provides MSc in shipping. Also, London being the hub of shipping, choosing this course and University puts a prospective cadet right in the middle of all the action! Details of the course can be found here.

5. MSc in International Transport and Logistics

The Merchant Navy broadly comes under the business of International Transport and Logistics. To have a thorough understanding of the management and organisational aspects of such business is extremely important for an individual and for innovation in the maritime sector in general.

Institute Providing MSc in International Transport and Logistics:

Deck officers/maritime professionals can opt to complete this MSc course over a period of two years. Conducted in liaison with the World Maritime University, the maritime course is an extremely interesting one. The details of this course can be found here.

6. MBA in Shipping 

Masters in Business Administration (MBA) is by far the most famous post graduation course not just by maritime professionals but also for people in almost all the fields.

A MBA degree in Shipping would definitely open several gates of opportunities for deck officers who are looking for an onshore job.

However, it is to note that most of the reputed MBA universities ask for minimum 2-5 years of working experiences to become eligible for the course. Though there are some colleges which do take maritime professionals with less experience on the basis of their academic performance.

Know how to do MBA in Shipping here.

This list is not exhaustive and there are many more courses all across the globe to choose from. The above list just outlines some of the more known maritime courses, which deck officers and maritime professionals can pursue to increase their horizon of opportunities.

It is also to note that the institutes mentioned herein are not the only ones to provide a particular course. They have been mentioned just to give deck officers/ maritime professionals the right direction to research.

Note: This is not a sponsored article and we don’t take any guarantee of the information provided on the maritime courses websites mentioned in the article.