Salary Of a Merchant Navy officer

Salary
Starting salaries upon qualification for junior officers are in the region of £25,000 to £28,000.
Training salaries for cadets are fall between £8,000 and £16,000 with all tuition and on-board food and accommodation included. Shore-based accommodation costs are deducted.
Progression up to the rank of captain or chief engineer can lead to salaries ranging from £36,000 to £80,000+, depending upon the type and size of ship. Salaries on foreign-going ships (i.e. at least 183 days per year out of the UK) may be tax free.
Income figures are intended as a guide only.
Work is based at sea, on board ships that operate year-round. Shifts are usually four hours 'on' watch/duty and eight hours 'off'. Although extensive travel is part of the job, opportunities to go onshore can be limited due to ship-board responsibilities and rapid turnaround times in port.
What to expect
Qualification as a Merchant Navy officer can lead to opportunities throughout the marine industry.
Onboard living conditions are usually of a high standard, with good leisure and other facilities. Due to such close living and working conditions, being able to work well within a team is important.
Weather conditions may make working uncomfortable, for instance the heat of the Persian Gulf in summer or the North Atlantic in a winter gale.
A high proportion of female officers are working in the Merchant Navy at all levels.
The long periods of time spent away at sea can have a major impact on family life, hobbies and interests. However, most companies provide a generous holiday allowance on a one-for-one basis, for example two-months' paid leave after a two-month voyage. Tour lengths vary from company to company.
Merchant Navy officers are subject to the Merchant Shipping Act. The Act sets strict limits on blood-alcohol levels and drugs are forbidden. Random testing for alcohol or drug abuse is common.
Qualifications
The Merchant Navy recruits graduates as officer trainees (either deck/navigation officer, engineering officer or eletro technical officer (ETO)), offering training and development leading to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Certificate of Competency (CoC), including Officer of the Watch (OOW) Certificate of Competency. All training includes a residential course at a nautical college or university, interspersed by periods spent at sea.
Graduate entry onto an engineering officer programme will provide exemptions from some aspects of the training scheme (which may accelerate the route to qualification as an engineering officer) with a mechanical engineering degree.
Opportunities may be available on cruise ships and passenger ferries for graduates in catering, hospitality, business, performance or entertainment, and cruise companies should be contacted directly.
A number of shipping companies sponsor candidates on a four-year BSC (Hons) degree in merchant ship operations/nautical science or a BEng (Hons) in marine engineering applications/mechanical and marine engineering.
Alternatively, you could be sponsored for a three-and-a-half year foundation degree (FdSc) course in marine operations/nautical science/marine engineering/marine electrical systems. The foundation degree (Professional Diploma in Scotland) can lead to an honours degree. Entry into officer training may be possible with an HNC/HND in nautical science/marine engineering.
The training is fully paid for by the sponsoring company and includes a training salary. For entry requirements, a list of colleges/universities running the programmes and a list of employers offering sponsorship, see Careers at Sea.
Experience and qualifications gained within the fishing industry or the Royal Navy may be recognised or accredited towards MCA requirements. Candidates are assessed on an individual basis and should make their own application for exemptions from the academic and practical aspects of officer training.
Skills
If you have the above experience you are likely to stand out,

A List of Important Documents for Deck Cadets

For those young cadets who don’t have any immediate association with the Merchant Navy field, the time after graduation from a maritime academy can be rather confusing. With all the maritime courses and other processes required under protocol, it is justified that a fresh deck cadet would find it difficult to deal with the huge load of documentation and paperwork required after passing out.

Also, in the quest for seeking employment, deck cadets often forget to get their important documentations ready. It is therefore important that deck cadets do not ignore the necessity to keep all documentations ready, in order that they may produce them to the employer whenever required. Also, prior to seeking employment, during the visits to Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) to get a variety of work done, these documents must be kept assorted in folder at all times.

Credits: darn13/depositphotos.com

Following are the documents that are normally asked for:

1. CDC (Continuous Discharge Certificate):Perhaps the most important thing for a seafarer, this booklet must be kept handy at all times. The CDC number is always required when filling out application forms for a job, to do maritime courses, for endorsement etc.

2. INDoS (Indian Database of Seafarers):Another important document that must be carried at all times. Read more about INDos number here. Every country has their own system of maritime database and fresh deck cadets must apply for their number as soon as possible.

3. STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) Certificates: The mandatory STCW certificates comprising of PST (Personal Survival Techniques), PSSR (Personal Safety and Social Responsibility), EFA (Elementary First Aid), FPFF (Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting). All these are mandatory courses which are to be carried out by sea going professionals.

4. Passport: The ultimate proof of identity for seafarers apart from CDC. Seafarers are advised to keep passport always with them when getting documentation related work done. Deck cadets must carry this everywhere.

5. Photographs: It is always necessary to carry a few extra copies of passport sized photographs while going for documentation.

6. Course Completion Certificate: The proof of having completed the tenure of study at college. A certificate of degree/diploma is required for all documentation processes.

7. Xth/XIIth mark sheet: These may be required for proof of age and to verify other important details.

As mentioned earlier, a few visits to the MMD is required to get a variety of necessary work done. Following are the procedures to be completed before setting sail for which, the above mentioned documents shall be required:

1. Yellow Fever Vaccination: This vaccination is required for individuals travelling to South American and African countries. The shot can be obtained from the MMD (Mercantile Marine Department) for a fee of INR 300/- (Will vary according to the country). For this, documents required are photocopies of front and back pages of the CDC and Passport. Prior booking for the vaccination has to be done from the office of the Port Health Officer. The vaccination is valid for 10 years. This can be obtained even without an offer letter from a company.

2. OTF/GTF/CTF: Depending on the vessel the cadet will be sailing on, the respective course needs to be done for the particular type of vessel (Oil/Gas/Chemical). Always check for DG approval status on the website (www.dgshipping.com) before choosing the course at an institute.

3. Dangerous Cargo Endorsement (DCE): The OTF/GTF/CTF certificate completed can be rendered invalid if it is not endorsed at the MMD. Depending on the ship the Cadet will be sailing on, the necessary certificate (OTF/GTF/CTF) should be endorsed for a fee of INR 1040/-. Remember to include each and every document mentioned in the DCE checklist. The medical certificate is a bit tricky so it is advised to go through the exact tests and checkups required for the medical certificate to be considered appropriate.

4. US Visa ( Or Any Other Visa): A letter of employment/offer is required to get a US Visa. Hence, this is the last formality that needs to be completed before setting sail. The company normally sets it up for the employee if required at all.

It is advisable to keep about 10 photocopies of each of the documents ready and assorted in a folder at all times when visiting an office, the MMD, to book a course, or any other related work. Are there any other important documents required by deck cadets? Let us know in the comments below.